A hiring blunder that saw an official suspended for alleged tender fraud being given a top post is to be rectified.
|||Durban - A hiring blunder – that of an official who had been suspended for alleged tender fraud being given a top eThekwini Municipality post – is to be rectified.
Red-faced city bosses have announced that the post of deputy city manager for human settlements (housing) and infrastructure, will be re-advertised.
The hiring blunder came to light after a probe in December into Slindokuhle Hadebe’s appointment, which had apparently been approved without any background checks.
Hadebe had allegedly failed to disclose that he had been suspended on full pay from the Ekurhuleni Municipality after a tender fraud investigation there.
Mayor James Nxumalo’s comment on Sunday that Hadebe could re-apply if he wished, has been slammed by opposition parties.
The position was filled in December after being vacant since June, when the then deputy city manager, Derek Naidoo’s, contract was not renewed by the city.
Nxumalo said councillors were informed at a meeting last week that the decision to appoint Hadebe for a period of five years had been rescinded.
“This means that Hadebe will no longer be appointed in the position and it will have to be re-advertised.
“If he wants to apply he can, as it is his right to do so,” Nxumalo said.
He said city manager, S’bu Sithole, was given the go-ahead to advertise the position nationally.
“There were a number of shortcomings in this position, but they have been rectified,” Nxumalo said.
The Minority Front’s Patrick Pillay welcomed the decision. He said the new hiring process had to be free and fair.
“This is a very important and critical position because it controls more than 70 percent of the city’s capital.
“It is a highly responsible position, which means that the person appointed should be the best person for the job.”
Pillay said thorough background checks needed to be done on all applicants to ensure there was no repeat of the hiring mistake.
“We must move fast in (filling) the position because it has been vacant for a long time,” Pillay said.
However, the DA’s Tex Collins said he did not believe that the position should be re-advertised.
“What we have recommended was for the next person on the list to be appointed because they did qualify but were voted out,” he said.
Collins said Hadebe should not be allowed to re-apply for the position because he had failed to disclose he had been suspended from his previous job or give reasons for the suspension.
“If he cannot disclose such important information during an interview, imagine what he could do if appointed to this position?” Collins said.
“He can’t be trusted, which is why we are calling for the next person to be hired. There is no need to re-advertise.”
The IFP’s Mdu Nkosi commended Nxumalo for the about-turn on Hadebe.
“His appointment amounts to corruption because he had a case pending against him,” he said. “This was a good thing by council but what is the logic of allowing him to re-apply for the position?”
Nkosi agreed it would be easier to appoint the next applicant on the list.
“Maybe that person is not a comrade which is why the position is being re-advertised.
“People here (eThekwini) are hired because of their political background.”
Nkosi also accused the city of negligence.
“We are led by blind people and clowns, which is why background checks are not done. They rush to look at the political background of the person as opposed to their history of employment, which is most crucial.”
mpume.madlala@inl.co.za
Daily News