Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero is accused of attempting to stall the appointment of the city manager by bringing a report to an in-committee council in an attempt to open the process to scrutiny.
According to insiders, Morero raised concerns that the recruitment process for Joburg’s city manager vacancy could have been compromised, citing a recent leak of the selection panel’s report following the conclusion of the recruitment process.
The recruitment process began just under a year ago. Kiba Kekana was seconded by the province to act in the position until the city concludes its search to find a candidate to become the city’s accounting officer.
Former city manager Floyd Brink, who reapplied for the post, emerged as the leading candidate out of 10 shortlisted hopefuls, scoring 81%, which secured him the No 1 spot on the shortlist.
However, Morero is said to have presented a report in a closed council meeting last week, calling for an investigation to be conducted into the leak and the process as a whole.
“There’s a report recommending for the appointment of the city manager that has to be brought to council. Dada brought a different report to stall the process, saying the integrity of the process is compromised. He says he wants to sanction an investigation into the matter, but this is just a delay tactic so that he doesn’t have to appoint,” said a source with intimate knowledge.
The ANC in general does not like Brink, only the Loyiso [Masuku] and Sasabona [Manganye, ANC regional secretary] faction wants him back. Brink is an EFF person. We are in charge of the coalition, why must we have an EFF candidate as the city manager?
— Insider
Another individual who asked for privacy due to councillors being barred from publicising closed discussions said this was a politically motivated tactic to delay the process to avoid appointing Brink.
“Somebody leaked the spreadsheet with the scores from the panel members. It was all over the media. Those results were not officially issued. Obviously because he [Morero] does not want those outcomes, he’s now saying that the integrity of the process might have been compromised.
“He wants to halt everything, first investigate the leak and then bring a final report. It could have been leaked by officials or one of the panel members. But it’s his way of stopping this process, he doesn’t want Brink to return. He asked for council to approve the investigation to be conducted, which would have delayed the recruitment process report coming to council.”
Morero and council speaker Margaret Arnolds are said to be the only pair who knew about Morero’s surprise recommendation to council.
“Political parties in the coalition, including the ANC, did not know about this report. We did not raise an alarm because we want progress and unity in the coalition. He used Margaret to introduce this report.”
It was later withdrawn.
One person who spoke on condition of anonymity said the pushback with Brink’s name is that he is not “an ANC person”.
“The ANC in general does not like Brink, only the Loyiso [Masuku] and Sasabona [Manganye, ANC regional secretary] faction wants him back. Brink is an EFF person. We are in charge of the coalition, why must we have an EFF candidate as the city manager? When the coalition was negotiated they wanted one MMC and the city manager. But that dynamic changed when they took two portfolios [health and public safety]. So they can’t dictate,” said the anonymous source.
The insider told this publication that this is part of the reason there was a minority party bust-up, which saw the 10 parties in the coalition parting ways from their long-standing initial voting bloc.
On Tuesday six disgruntled minority parties staged a WhatsApp group walkout, distancing themselves from the said minority group resolution to recall MMC deployee to the coalition Tebogo Nkonkou (PAC) and to replace him with Al Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad in the community development portfolio.
However, Arnolds, who was absent from the meeting, sent out an alternative letter recusing herself and five other parties from this resolution and the minority bloc in its entirety.
The letter, which Sunday Times has seen, states that the breakaway (AIC, PAC, UIM, GOOD and Cope) no longer feels it is feasible to continue working within the existing bloc framework ― therefore distancing themselves from the Al Jama-ah, AHC, UDM and ATM minority parties and any related decisions they have taken.
What I can say is that any leaks relating to these internal processes are deeply regrettable and appear intended to create instability within the government
— Margaret Arnolds, council speaker
A minority insider called Arnolds “chaotic” over her actions, accusing her of being Morero’s “proxy”.
“She has been operating in a way that defies the minority group, taking decisions outside of the collective and siding with whatever the mayor tells her. We decided to demote her from minority group chairperson, to deputy, to manage her powers. But this latest in-committee report showed us that she has gone rogue.”
Another bungle in the city manager recruitment process is related to the change in the constitution of the selection panel that was effected during the recruitment process.
Morero sat on the panel alongside then group corporate and shared services MMC Loyiso Masuku, who was later reshuffled and appointed to the finance MMC post following a vacancy.
The vacancy came as a result of ActionSA withdrawing from the agreed working relationship with the ANC-led coalition, following the removal of their speaker Nobuhle Mthembu through a no-confidence motion.
AIC’s Margaret Arnolds was then voted in as council speaker in her place, a move the minorities did not have consensus over.
So troubled were the talks that the minorities nominated UDM’s Yongama Zigebe as her contender, causing friction among themselves. He lost the vote and Arnolds was voted into office.
When approached for comment, Arnolds said this was an “internal matter and it would be irresponsible and premature” to comment at this stage.
“What I can say is that any leaks relating to these internal processes are deeply regrettable and appear intended to create instability within the government,” she wrote in a WhatsApp text.
Morero could not be reached for comment.
Brink’s potential reappointment comes months after the Gauteng high court set aside his previous appointment. The ruling cited procedural irregularities in the process, which led to him assuming office in December last year.
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