Suspended Durban manager blames municipal mayor for R2.1m loss

Durban mayor Zandile Gumede and municipal manager Sipho Nzuza are to blame for wasting more than R2.1-million of ratepayers' money on the municipality's Social Cohesion Conference in June‚ a suspended senior manager has said in court papers.

The event‚ scheduled for June 19 and 20 at the plush Coastlands Hotel in Umhlanga‚ was cancelled at the last minute on the opening morning.

Guests‚ speakers and radio stations set up for live broadcasts had already arrived - and‚ along with other service providers‚ had already been paid or had their costs picked up.

After the cancellation‚ the city's head of parks and recreation‚ Themba Ngcobo‚ was suspended.

But Ngcobo is now fighting back.

In papers filed in the Labour Court‚ he claims that he is a scapegoat. His hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning‚ 10am.

Among other charges - including being responsible for fruitless and wasteful expenditure - Ngcobo has been accused of bringing the municipality into disrepute. He was suspended on July 14.

"If anybody is responsible for putting the municipality in disrepute‚ causing wasteful and fruitless expenditure‚ it is in fact the office of the city manager who acted on the instruction of the mayor‚" Ngcobo said in court papers.

According to him‚ the three-day conference was originally planned for 29 to 31 May‚ but he was asked to change the dates so that it did not clash with the KZN government's own conference.

With few dates available at the International Convention Centre‚ he had to split the conference over two sittings - the first on June 10 at the ICC and the final two ill-fated days on June 19 and 20 at Coastlands. In total‚ R2.12-million had been approved for the event.

While day one went well‚ with about 1000 attending‚ Ngcobo found himself caught up in drama on the eve of the Youth Day long weekend.

"However‚ on June 15 2017‚ I received an SMS from [Musa Gumede‚ the municipality's deputy city manager for community and emergency services] which stated as follows‚ 'Mnguni Akesiwuhoxiselomcimbi we Social Cohesion [let's withdraw the Social Cohesion] for a further date. Mayor's and Regional Secretary's instruction. Regard Sipho Nzuza'‚" Ngcobo stated in his affidavit.

Ngcobo only saw the message "when I switched on my phone at 16h59‚ after a committee meeting".

Ngcobo claims he tried to meet with Gumede urgently‚ despite the public holiday long weekend‚ but was only able to secure the meeting on the Sunday.

"I informed him that there were over 500 people invited to the event and that we had incurred huge costs of flights‚ accommodations and the venue. I also emphasised that this conference had already began and it had also attracted widespread media coverage. I also request reasons for this cancellation‚ none was forthcoming. [Nzuza] contacted me later that Sunday evening‚ shortly before 7pm‚ and informed me that he had spoken to [Mayor Gumede] who had insisted that the event must nonetheless be cancelled. I informed him that I would comply with the request‚" he said.

But he wanted the request in writing so that he would not be held responsible. This only came at about 10.30am‚ while guests were already at the venue.

About three weeks later‚ Ngcobo received a letter informing him he was to appear before a disciplinary panel for a precautionary suspension hearing.

Now Ngcobo - citing a host of irregularities‚ including that the municipality breached legislation in suspending him - wants his job back. And he also wants his reputation back.

"Although I have been suspended with full pay‚ I have suffered and continue to suffer harm to my integrity‚ dignity‚ reputation and standing in the community. If this continues‚ I will indeed suffer irreparable harm‚" he writes.

Municipal spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said the municipality did not comment on court proceedings.