Cape Town 'bus war' officials on notice

Three top City of Cape Town officials, including municipal manager Achmat Ebrahim, face suspension following allegations of misconduct and payment irregularities.

A full council meeting took the resolution yesterday behind closed doors.

The other two officials are transport and urban development commissioner Melissa Whitehead and chief resilience officer Craig Kesson, the man tasked with leading the city's efforts to avoid "day zero" - the day its taps run dry.

The meeting came after Kesson asked for an investigation into irregularities involving the city's transport and urban development department.

Kesson looked set to be suspended after four confidential reports recommended his suspension owing to his alleged unauthorised investigations into Whitehead and his allegations against Ebrahim.

In one of the confidential reports he was also alleged to have leaked confidential city information to a DA member who is not part of the council.

The meeting also resolved to task council's audit committee with appointing an independent probe into all allegations surrounding the three officials.

Council speaker Dirk Smit said the resolution came after deputy mayor Ian Neilson asked that all allegations be investigated.

"City manager Achmat Ebrahim, the commissioner of the transport development authority Melissa Whitehead and executive director [at the] office of the mayor Craig Kesson [will] be given seven days' notice to provide written representations to council [on] why they should not be placed on precautionary suspension," read Neilson's document.

Kesson's job is on the line after he accused Ebrahim of misconduct for failure to properly implement the city's contract for "station management" for the MyCiti bus service.

He also alleged that Ebrahim failed to properly consider or report to council allegations against Whitehead for irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the management of a contract related to the city's Rapid Transit Fare System.

Kesson also alleged Ebrahim failed to report allegations of misconduct by Whitehead for irregularities involving payments to Volvo.

Kesson also claimed Ebrahim failed to report Whitehead's conduct regarding the city's Foreshore Freeway Precinct tender.