Municipal musical chairs: Memani back in Bitou

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - After years of controversy and battles in court concerning Bitou's municipal manager (MM) position, the seat will host a new occupant next week.

However, the new MM, Mbulelo Memani, comes with some controversy of his own.

Bitou Mayor Dave Swart announced recently that Memani has accepted an offer of employment and will take over the role of MM on Monday 4 April.

This follows a series of issues surrounding the position since February 2019, when Lonwabo Ngoqo was appointed as MM, despite his dismissal from the same municipality in connection with financial misconduct in 2012.

Ngoqo had been found guilty after disciplinary proceedings led to a series of court cases that found his appointment to be unlawful. Ngoqo eventually resigned and left the municipality on

31 December last year.

Richard Bosman was then appointed as acting MM, but resigned soon after and the position was filled on

31 January by Bitou's then expenditure manager, Ntho Maredi.

This appointment sparked yet more controversy when local opposition party IPM reported alleged fraud at the police, calling into question the legitimacy of Maredi's qualifications. Maredi remained adamant that he was properly qualified for the job. His contract came to an end on

14 February and a new acting MM, Noel van Staden from Paarl, took over.

Controversy

Memani served as chief financial officer at neighbouring Knysna Municipality from March 2017 until October 2020. In this time a disciplinary process was initiated following Knysna's water meter tender process. It was alleged that over R10-million was paid to a contractor without a properly approved budget.

The municipal disciplinary board submitted a report informing Council that the complaints concerning the contract were worthy of a full investigation. Council resolved to appoint a forensic investigator, but the process was delayed for months, and in October 2020, Memani resigned before the process was finalised.

The Knysna Ratepayers Association (KRA) submitted complaints against Memani in May 2020 in connection withalleged financial misconduct relating to properties valued at tens of millions of rand. Once again the disciplinary board found that the complaints had merit.

After leaving Knysna, Memani went to Clanwilliam, the seat of the Cederberg Municipality, where according to news reports, residents protested against his appointment.

Before his tenure in Knysna, Memani served as Bitou senior manager for budget and treasury from 2012 to 2016.

Swart this week told the national daily paper, Daily Maverick (DM), that "no charges have been brought against him" and that staff who had worked with Memani in Bitou in the past were "happy" to work with him again.

Bitou Municipalty recieved a clean audit for the 2013/14 financial year.

No charges

Asked whether Memani's disciplinary issues were taken into account before his appointment in Bitou, Swart this week told the national daily paper, Daily Maverick (DM), that "no charges have been brought against him" and that staff who had worked with Memani in Bitou in the past were "happy" to work with him again. Swart was quoted as saying that during Memani's interview, he did disclose that he was part of a disciplinary hearing in Knysna which had not been concluded. Swart was further quoted as saying that the Knysna Municipality did not respond to a request for an employment history check.

The Bitou Municipality did not respond to queries from KPH before going to print and therefore Swart's statements to DM could not be verified.

However, Knysna municipal spokesperson Nwabisa Pondoyi said the municipality never received a request for an employment check through official channels.

"Please note that no disciplinary was instituted against Memani. He resigned in October 2020. There were complaints levelled against him. The disciplinary board recommended that a full forensic investigation be conducted for the acquisition of prepaid water meters.

The matter was tabled before CounciL on 24 February 2022," Pondoyi said.

According to the DM, Cederberg Mayor Ruben Richards said Bitou had not contacted the Cederberg Municipality for a reference for Memani, but this could not be verified by KPH before going to print.

I did nothing wrong

Memani himself responded this week stating that his resignation had nothing to do with escaping disciplinary action. He said that he had left the Knysna Municipality as his contract was coming to an end, and that he needed employment security. He told KPH that when the opportunity arose, he took it.

Memani said he decided to apply for the Bitou position as it provided an opportunity to be with his family in the area.

Memani said he was unconcerned about about the allegations against him in Knysna as he had done nothing wrong. He added that he was not the one who initiated the controversial water meter contract.

He also said that he would be taking legal action against individuals and the media for defamation.

Welcome

In his media statement, Swart said that the Bitou Municipality was looking forward to welcoming Memani after his previous stint at the municipality.

"He was part of the team that, together with then Municipal Manager Alan Paulse and Chief Financial Officer Felix Lotter, was instrumental in assisting Bitou to reverse its poor financial position of 2011 to eventually obtain the clean audits achieved up to and including 2016. We look forward to welcoming Mr Memani back to Bitou Municipality as municipal manager and to him assisting us to reverse our current poor financial performance," Swart said.

Mbulelo Memani.