Crackdown on Bitou municipal directors

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - One director in the Bitou municipality has been suspended, and another director has been asked to give reasons why he should not be suspended.

This follows a heated and loud "in-committee" (behind closed doors) debate during a special council meeting on Monday 30 September.

Melony Paulsen, the municipality's director of community services, was suspended from her position by the majority councillors from the DA, AUF and IPM.

In addition, the acting director of planning and development, Boy Ngubo, has been served with a letter giving him seven days' notice to give reasons why he should not be suspended.

The exact reasons for the suspension and "pending" suspension have not been made public and investigations are expected to be launched by the council. There were complaints against Paulsen.

'Baseless, frivolous'

"I have received the allegations, yes, and submitted responses to council that all the allegations are baseless, frivolous, malicious, spurious and vexatious. The majority of councillors, however, rejected my submissions despite supporting documents before them," said Paulsen.

No specific charges have been laid against Paulsen, who said her submissions were rejected, "disregarding the damage to my reputation and credibility".

Paulsen confirmed her suspension on Tuesday, 1 October, by "the new DA-led coalition of majority councillors".

Paulsen said: "Yes I have been suspended by the majority of councillors, the new DA-led coalition.

"A copy of the council resolution was delivered to my house yesterday by law enforcement. The resolution was proposed by Cllr WJ Nel (DA) and seconded by deputy mayor Cllr (Nokuzola) Kolwapi (IPM)."

'CFO post vacant'

Earlier council had noted that "the post of director financial services (chief financial officer) has become vacant", based on an earlier resolution "that council does not appoint Mr Boy Ngubo in the position of director financial services".

Council also decided to readvertise the CFO vacancy.

Resolution rescinded

The new ruling majority councillors had in August rescinded the mayco resolution, tabled by the then ruling ANC alliance, to confirm Ngubo's appointment and that of Tanya Wildeman as director of planning and development.

Monday's special council meeting was called to address only the item of the CFO, but speaker Mavis Busakwe said, before going "in-committee", that the open meeting would continue after that.

Two other items, the appointment of an acting director of community services and acting director of planning and development, were called and the motions carried with a seven to five vote in favour of the majority councillors.

Boy Ngubo.