Cape Town city manager quits amid disciplinary probe

Cape Town’s municipal manager‚ Achmat Ebrahim‚ has quit amid a city council probe against him and another high-ranking official.

In a statement on Monday‚ mayor Patricia de Lille confirmed that Ebrahim has become the first casualty of the power struggle in the city.

“I hereby wish to inform the residents and staff of the City of Cape Town that Achmat Ebrahim has resigned as the city manager. Mr Ebrahim tendered his resignation with effect from Friday 12 January 2018. His last working day was 12 January 2018‚” De Lille said.

She said Ebrahim had made it clear he was easily able to defend the allegations made against him in a report submitted at the end of December by lawyers Bowman Gilfillan.

On January 5‚ Ebrahim and Transport and Urban Development Authority commissioner Melissa Whitehead were given seven days to provide reasons why they should not be suspended pending disciplinary action against them.

They were both implicated in a probe into maladministration and possible corruption following an affidavit by Craig Kesson‚ executive director in De Lille’s office.

The probe also implicated De Lille and has left her fighting for her political career.

“[Ebrahim] stated that‚ in terms of the ongoing investigations‚ he would furnish my office with copies of all the evidence files as they pertain to his involvement in these allegations which have already been handed to Bowman Gilfillan and which clearly show that the allegations against him are baseless‚” said De Lille.

De Lille said that after almost 40 years of dedicated and loyal service with an unblemished record‚ Ebrahim stated in his resignation letter that “his obvious primary consideration at this stage of his life was that of his personal and his family’s wellbeing”.

She added: “Mr Ebrahim has an untarnished and remarkable track record of nearly 40 years as a public servant‚ most recently having served as the city manager for more than 12 years during the past three terms of office.”

She said Ebrahim has an impeccable and proven track record and‚ for the period during which he had served as city manager‚ “the city earned numerous achievements and accolades including unqualified and clean audits”.

Whitehead is understood to have submitted reasons why she should not be suspended. De Lille faces further investigation for allegedly covering up wrongdoing by Whitehead and ordering Ebrahim not to inform the council about it.