The contract of the Makhado municipal manager, Mr Shadrack Tshikalange, has not been renewed and he is to leave at the end of March, says the DA.
The Democratic Alliance expressed concern regarding the way the termination of the municipal manager's contract and the late advertising of the new contract is being handled by the Makhado Municipality .
"Year in and year out the same mistake is made by only advertising at the end of the termination of the employment contract. This means that the Makhado Municipality will once again be without a municipal manager as accounting officer for quite some time until the vacancy has been advertised and interviews have been completed," said DA caucus leader in Louis Trichardt Cllr Brian du Plooy.
The DA says that the municipality will not only be without a municipal manager, but also without a permanent chief financial officer (CFO) at a crucial time where budgets have to be finalised and important decisions taken on service delivery. Mr George Mapheto is currently acting as CFO.
At the time of going to press, Mr Elias Mugari, the director of community services, had not confirmed any of the above-mentioned, but said that the information would only become available the following day.
"The absence of the current municipal manager will not be missed as he failed in his job as the accounting officer of the Makhado Municipality. This can be confirmed by the poor reports the municipality has received in the past from the auditor general," Du Plooy said.
The DA expressed the hope that capable people would be appointed as municipal manager and CFO.
"Appointing capable people is of the utmost importance with regard to effective service delivery to the residents of the Makhado Municipality. The DA trusts that Council will not, as in the past, deploy incapable ANC members who could not succeed elsewhere," Du Plooy said.