ANC prepares for face-off against former Durban municipal boss

26 April 2017 - 15:55 By Nathi Olifant
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eThekwini city manager Sibusiso Sithole promises to shake up the running of Durban
eThekwini city manager Sibusiso Sithole promises to shake up the running of Durban
Image: THULI DLAMINI

The ANC in eThekwini region has dared former Durban municipal manager Sbu Sithole to head to court‚ after he threatened to force the municipality to reveal how he fared in the interview for his job.

Sithole reapplied for his former position following the lapse of his five-year contract in December - but expressed shock and surprise when the job went to Sipho Nzuza and that he was not even considered as one of the frontrunners.

"If he goes to court we will meet him there‚" said regional ANC secretary Bheki Ntuli.

Speaking at a media conference on Wednesday morning‚ Ntuli expressed his disappointment at Sithole‚ saying he did not understand why the former city manager wanted his job back when he had already served his five-year term.

  • Durban metro is "toxic"‚ says ex-city managerFormer Durban city manager Sibusiso Sithole believes that there is a "toxic environment" within the council he headed for five years - and insists he wouldn't go back to work there. 

"We are concerned as the ANC region by what is going on because as much as this is a municipality matter it will still come back to the ANC.

"The process of appointing the manager was fair and transparent in that even opposition parties were part of the interview panel. Unless Sithole knows what happened in each interview he has no basis to challenge the process. Interviews are no guarantee that one would get the job‚" said Ntuli.

He said the panel hired somebody who convinced it and thus Sithole had no grounds to challenge the process.

"If he wants to go to court he must go and we will meet him there. But we hope as a senior member of the ANC and a disciplined one he won’t go to that extent. He's still our comrade‚" said Ntuli.

Sithole is seeking answers on why he scored so badly during the interview process that saw him replaced by former Transnet port manager Nzuza. He has written to the city wanting to know why he was scored the fourth lowest among the interviewed candidates.

This was despite the fact that Sithole has extensive experience in local government and several qualifications‚ including two master’s degrees‚ and is studying towards a PhD in major developments.

-TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

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