Pretoria - The City of Tshwane will not heed a call by the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) to reverse three key appointments made in the speaker's office, allegedly without following the staffing recruitment policy.
The municipality’s stance was expressed after the union had threatened to take legal steps aimed at compelling the acting city manager, Mmaseabata Mutlaneng, to reverse the decision.
Mutlaneng was given at least five days to overturn the appointments, which included the positions of group head, director in the speaker’s private office and executive secretary to the speaker.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba refuted allegations that the City flouted its staffing recruitment policy when making the appointments.
“The relevant policy in this regard is the Tshwane Metropolitan Council approved policy on the appointment of staff in the offices of political office-bearers. This policy is different to the staffing policy that applies to all other employees.
“The trade unions were consulted on the implementation of the policy on the appointment of staff in the offices of political office-bearers. Consensus could not be reached with the trade unions and the policy was implemented by the City – as approved by council,” Bokaba said.
He said the vacancies were not advertised because the policy on the appointment of staff in the offices of political office-bearers did not require the advertisements because the appointed employees are political appointees.
Samwu’s regional secretary, Mpho Tladinyane, said this week that the appointments came as a surprise when they were announced in an internal staff memo dated May 5.
He accused the City of making the appointments without following the staffing collective agreement signed between the employer and unions in 2008 to regulate employment of municipal staff.
He said the staffing policy dictated that “potential incumbents are recruited through advertisement that complies with principles of fairness and representativeness”.
He said the City was wrong in failing to advertise the three posts and for not conducting interviews.
“This is also in contravention of clause 2.3 of the staffing policy which states that all prospective employees are allowed a fair opportunity to apply and progress through the selection process,” he said.
In a bid to get answers, Tladinyane wrote to the City, requesting an explanation regarding the procedures followed.
Council speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela, who was accused recently by former group head Tiyiselani Babane of failing to disclose to council that he was placed on suspension because of sexual abuse allegations while working for the Joburg City market, refused to comment.
Makwarela is under investigation following a council resolution to test the veracity of allegations, including his alleged abuse of power, made against him.
Pretoria News