ActionSA has expressed confidence in Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya after the South African Local Government Bargaining Council ordered that the 5 officers suspended for the Rooiwal Waste Water Works tender return to work and be compensated R2 million.

The bargaining council ordered that the officers suspended with full pay in April 2023 when Cilliers Brink was government mayor be compensated two months’ wage for the unfair suspension and that they return to work on 20 January.

TSHWANE ORDERED TO COMPENSATE ROOIWAL TENDER IMPLICATED OFFICIALS

The South African beforehand reported that in 2019, tenderpreneur and beneficiant African National Congress (ANC) donor Edwin Sodi secured a R295 million tender in a three way partnership with CMS Water Engineering to improve the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment plant. However, the contract was terminated following a forensic report indicating solely 60% completion by 2022.

In April 2023, the metro municipality introduced that it had suspended the 5 officers after a yr lengthy inside disciplinary course of which discovered the officers responsible on one of many 4 prices they confronted.

The metro municipality stated it strongly disagrees with the end result of the disciplinary course of and can enchantment your complete consequence on the Labour Court.

The officers have been discovered not responsible on three prices however have been discovered responsible one one cost and the sanction was suspension for one month with out pay.

“The City is of the view that their continued presence at the workplace, will be detrimental to the stability of the municipality,” the municipality stated on the time.

Meanwhile, City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba stated they’re nonetheless finding out the arbitration award and its implications.

“Last yr, the City filed an software with the Labour Court for a evaluation of the findings and sanction pronounced by the chairperson of the disciplinary listening to. The matter remains to be pending earlier than courtroom and the City has petitioned the courtroom to expedite the evaluation software.

“In view of the above, the City will not comment any further on this matter as it relates to HR processes and is sub judice,” Bokaba stated.

ACTIONSA BACKS TSHWANE MAYOR

Following the ruling, ActionSA nationwide chairperson Michael Beaumont stated it’s obvious that the native bargaining council took concern with the very fact, from a procedural standpoint, that the officers weren’t suspended throughout the investigation (when it’s legally permissible to droop) however solely after the disciplinary listening to when the City of Tshwane appealed the end result of the disciplinary listening to.

“In other words, the failure of the Brink government to suspend the officials during the investigation was the basis of the finding against the City,” Beaumont stated.

Beaumont additionally stated it’s ironic that the DA has opportunistically politicked on this very concern when they’re the occasion main authorities for each the time by which the tender was awarded to Edwin Sodi in addition to the time interval by which the method to droop the officers was evidently mismanaged.

“ActionSA is comforted by the knowledge that the process to study of the options available to the City will be guided by the fact that this tender was unlawful, resulted in the delay of the project to address the water crisis in Hammanskraal and cost the City and its residents dearly.”

SIU EXPECTS TO COMPLETE ITS PROBE IN 2025

Meanwhile, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has confirmed that it has accomplished its first part of its investigation into the Rooiwal Waste Water Works tender and that the matter has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

In September 2023, the (SIU) announced that it will probe allegations of maladministration and corruption associated to the R295 million tender to refurbish and improve the Rooiwal Waste Works.