Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Bitou Municipality has finally paid Misiwe Phyllis Mpahlwa, the ousted former corporate affairs director, her performance bonus – 144 days after the council approved the payment on 30 March.

Mpahlwa's husband Mzu Mpahlwa confirmed that the payment was received on 19 July, adding when asked for a comment from his wife, "she is very humble and she is reluctant to make a comment."

Mzu Mpahlwa said the delay in the payment of the performance bonus had been politically motivated "to punish her for taking the municipality to the bargaining council". 

On 15 February, Bargaining Council Commissioner Andiswa Makasi ruled that Mpahlwa's dismissal was "substantively and procedurally unfair" and ordered Bitou Municipality to pay her compensation of R1 133 463.

Makasi said the reason provided for the dismissal, "political dimensions", was not fair, "nor did the respondent (Bitou Municipality) dispute this reason as stated by the applicant (Mpahlwa)." 

The 'political' dismissal by the thee-party alliance, consisting of the DA/AUF/PDC, voted in after the 2021 local elections, was because Mpahlwa's continued employment under the new alliance was unacceptable.

In another development Mpahlwa's lawyer, Molimisi Speach Mathonsi of Chabalala J Attorneys, delivered a summons to the municipality on Thursday 20 July for R5,12m, the balance of her contract Mpahlwa claims she is owed. The municipality has been given 20 working days to respond.

Bitou Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani confirmed that the municipality had received the summons. 

"Because this is a legal matter, the municipality has no further comments to make," he said.

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