She is facing 118 charges of tax evasion and fraud.

The party yesterday claimed that Sithole had reinstated a R237.3-million contract for Mpisane's company, Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenance and Transport, to build 2825 houses in Umlazi without the consent of the executive members of the council or the full council.

DA caucus leader Tex Collins said: "As a city manager, he must have known she would be going to court to face charges. How could he negotiate a contract like this?"

The call for Sithole's suspension was tabled during yesterday's executive council meeting.

"We have no doubt that this will be blocked by the ANC in a bid to protect Sithole. The DA will also raise an urgent notice of motion at the next full council to have Sithole's immediate suspension invoked until such time that his actions and comments are investigated," Collins said.

Sithole had previously referred to Collins as an "old-order politician" and a "disgrace to the DA" .

The DA also wants public protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate Sithole's role in settling out of court after Mpisane took the legal route to get her contract back.

Durban municipal spokesman Thabo Mofokeng said: "The city manager has done nothing wrong here. And he does not have to justify himself to the DA."

The DA also wants Madonsela to investigate the city's revenue management system's ballooning budget.

"In 2004, the defined budget of R90-million to R150-million was approved. In 2006, this jumped to R250-million, and in 2008 to R408-million. In 2010, it had ballooned to R485-million. And, in 2011, the city entered into a support and maintenance contract for R62-million even though [the system] had still not gone live," DA chief whip Dean Macpherson said.