KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Municipality has pledged to rescind a council decision made last month to make available R90 000 towards the accommodation costs of Acting Chief Financial Officer Londiwe Sotshede.
Acting Municipal Manager Johannes Jonkers said in response to a list of questions put to the municipality by KPH that "the initial resolution will be rescinded at the next council meeting".
"The council unanimously resolved to pay for the acting CFO's accommodation during a special council meeting on 25 August, but alternative arrangements have been made," said Jonkers.
He did not elaborate on what these arrangements were.
KPH's questions included whether there was no cheaper alternative, whether the accommodation was secured in terms of municipal guidelines and if Sotshede receives a housing allowance.
Quotes from three establishments in Knysna for the period from 17 August to the end of October for Sotshede's accommodation amounted to R85 148 to pay for ''settling costs of the acting chief financial officer for the period as appointed by council in its previous council meeting", according to a report by Acting Director of Corporate Services Luvuyo Loliwe on 24 August.
The report stated that since the departure of the CFO in 2020 and municipal manager in 2021, Knysna Municipality has had to appoint an acting municipal manager and chief financial officer (CFO) from outside the Garden Route Region on short-term contracts.
"Having regard to the unprecedented situation Knysna Municipality find itself sic, this unique situation demands that consideration be made for the costs of settling of the Chief Financial Officer for the period appointed by Council, " reads the report.
On 17 August, a letter was also addressed to the MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, to ask for financial assistance on the accommodation of Sotshede, "as previous short-term acting incumbents have been assisted with the costs of accommodation".
No response was received from Bredell.
According to the report by Loliwe, Sotshede's short-term appointment was the "main contributor causing her to find herself in a situation of not being able to secure an affordable accommodation but [she] must resort to expensive hotels and B&Bs. Knysna is again facing to lose another acting CFO as the results of expensive accommodation. There is R90 000 available under a budget item, 'Resettlement costs'.''
The decision will be revisited at the next council meeting later this month.
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