The eThekwini city manager and an ANC councillor are at odds over calls to suspend of one of the municipality's senior officials.
|||A row has erupted in the eThekwini municipality after a recommendation by the public accounts committee called for the suspension of one of the municipality’s senior officials, Jacquie Subban.
The 11-member, multiparty committee also urged the municipality to conduct a full-scale forensic investigation into the municipality’s geographic information and policy unit (Gipo), which she heads.
But on Wednesday night councillors on the municipal public accounts committee, an independent body set up last year to scrutinise municipal spending, came under heavy pressure to withdraw their call for her suspension, and The Mercury was asked by municipal officials not to publish the story.
When contacted for comment, Subban told The Mercury she could not say anything at this stage because she was not aware of the committee’s decision.
She was not present at the meeting where the decision to call for her suspension was made.
Insiders say that about two weeks ago Subban was due to appear before the committee on matters relating to her unit, but she cancelled at the last minute, apparently because of ill-health.
In an open meeting in the Durban City Hall on Wednesday, the committee said its calls for a probe were based on a recommendation from the municipality’s internal audit unit.
Although details of that recommendation were not discussed, it is understood that the matter is linked to Gipo’s dealings with IT company Adapt-IT, which was contracted by the municipality to develop its website for the World Cup.
Motivating for Subban to be suspended, ANC councillor Pearl Luthuli said other workers in Gipo might feel intimidated if the forensic investigation went ahead while she was still at work.
Another ANC councillor, Nompumelelo Chamane, said it appeared as though everything done in Subban’s department was outsourced.
“The forensic investigation must also verify her qualification and skills. She has been vague all the time (when she is called to answer questions raised by the committee),” she said.
DA councillor Andre Mitchell said in some cases Subban’s department had used consultants to buy goods for the council, which was both irregular and unlawful.
But on Wednesday night municipal manager Michael Sutcliffe said the committee had no legal mandate to make recommendations regarding Subban’s suspension and, as the accounting officer, only he could deal with such matters.
“I urge the committee to get legal advice because this matter is outside of their scope and terms of reference,” he said.
Sutcliffe said he was “disturbed” by the recommendations and would take the matter up with the committee.
He said the law was clear on personnel issues because the only reason to ask for suspension would be if there was substantial evidence that an individual was involved in corruption or had blocked an investigation.
“I will be prepared to go to court if the rights of an employee are being infringed upon,” he said.
According to Sutcliffe the internal audit report “provides no evidence that contemplates any of this”, and if the committee has any such information it should be brought to his attention.