eThekwini Municipality head of electricity, Maxwell Mthembu has been issued a notice of intention to suspend and ordered to vacate his office.
Mthembu is under investigation for allegedly failing to obey an instruction to issue dismissal letters to staff from his unit who took part in the recent protracted strike action by workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
According to the letter, which IOL has seen, Mthembu is accused of giving misleading and contradicting information to a city councillor that the strike was still on, directly contradicting the City Manager's media briefing that the strike was over.
"(You) also contradicted the information you presented at one of the teleconference meetings with other unit heads that your employees are back at work, which is tantamount to sabotage," the letter states.
Mbhele said he had reasonable cause to believe that Mthembu may jeopardise the investigation into the allegations of misconduct or commit further acts of misconduct.
"I further have reasonable cause to believe that your continued presence at the workplace could be detrimental to the stability of the municipality. You are therefore advised that the municipality intends to suspend you on full remuneration, pending the conclusion of the investigation and the conclusion of any disciplinary action arising out of the investigation.
“You are required to vacate the municipal premises with immediate effect," the letter stated.
IOL reached out to the City for comment and was furnished with this response from eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Gugu Sisilana: “As a matter of principle, the City does not discuss employer-employee-related matters with a third party.”
IOL has also reached out to Mthembu for comment. He stated that he was in a meeting.
Meanwhile, DA councillor, Sakhile Mngadi said if the allegations are true, the City should act harshly on the implicated persons.
"People are losing money, jobs and food because of the continued chaos. Having him suspended with pay is a slap in the face of residents. The DA has long been calling for Maxwell's removal from the City," he said.
Last year, the Daily News reported an apparent plot by Mbhele to oust Mthembu. It is alleged that a WhatsApp group was created which included the DA's Thabani Mthethwa, then ActionSA caucus leader Dr Makhosi Khoza, the IFP's Mdu Nkosi and ActionSA's Zwakele Mncwango, in which Mthembu's running of the electricity unit was discussed.
IOL