UPhongolo Municipal Manager Mntonjani Bethuel Khali is back at working after the councillors lifted his year long suspension but his disciplinary action is still pending.
Image: UPhongolo Municipality website
The suspension of the municipal manager of an IFP-run uPhongolo Municipality, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, was lifted on Tuesday, allowing him back to work after almost a whole year of sitting at home with full salary payment.
Mntonjani Bethuel Khali was suspended during 2025 due to allegations of corruption and maladministration, and was subjected to disciplinary action, which is yet to be finalised.
When asked to comment on the lifting of Khali’s suspension, IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa said the party would not interfere in council matters.
“We will only wait for a formal report that would be given to us, but we always want to respect the space for councillors to do the due diligence in whatever business they are doing,” said Hlabisa.
He described Khali’s prolonged suspension with full salary as unfortunate.
“We really wish suspensions can be very short, and if there is no case a person goes back to work, and if there is a case, a final sanction is given.
“But it is a fair process that if you suspend a person, you don’t cut the salary,” said Hlabisa.
Khali and mayor Bheki Thwala did not respond to questions sent to them.
Due to the delay in finalising Khali’s internal case, the municipality had been operating with acting municipal managers who were paid remuneration for their acting capacity.
He had sought the Labour Court to overturn his suspension, but this was dismissed on June 10, 2024.
The court dismissed his application on June 10, 2025.
According to the court judgment, which dismissed Khali’s application, he was suspended after a Special Council Meeting on March 5, 2025, had found prima facie evidence to institute action against him for financial misconduct.
He was relieved of his work pending the conclusion of the investigation
The councillors decided to suspend him because they believed the allegations against him were too serious. They felt that, given his senior position, allowing him to continue working during the investigation could result in him intimidating witnesses or tampering with important documents, as he is responsible for safeguarding these records.
“Further to that, he must not have access to any municipal assets and must not be in any contact with municipal employees while still under investigation,” the court judgment quoted the council resolution.
One source, who is not authorised to speak to the media, stated that on March 25, the majority of councillors voted in favour of lifting Khali’s suspension. They came to this decision after realising that his continued absence from work, while receiving a full salary, was a waste of state money, especially as others were being compensated for acting in his position.
The source said while IFP councillors abstained from voting, ANC, DA, EFF and NFP councillors voted for Khali to return to work.
However, the source said Thwala refused to authorise the lifting of the suspension.
“It was then left to the mayor to authorise his reinstatement, which he refused to do,” the source said.
On April 4, the IFP invited all its municipal councillors to a meeting with its national executive committee in Durban on Tuesday. This meeting was speculated to be a platform for the party to address the councillors' actions regarding the suspension.
Sources alleged that the IFP NEC was unhappy with how its caucus in the municipality handled Khali’s suspension.
However, as the IFP held the meeting with its councillors in Durban on Tuesday, ANC, DA, NFP and EFF councillors met and affirmed the reinstatement.
“We affirmed that Khali should come back to work and his disciplinary hearing will continue while he is working.
“He was suspended pending the allegations and charges of fraud and maladministration against him.
“The suspension and disciplinary action was supposed to take three months, but it has been almost a year since he is sitting at home while getting the salary without anything being finalised, which is why we thought it was proper for him to come back to work,” said a councillor.
This councillor declined to reveal the details of the charges against Khali, except to say this was about the handling of funds and other things that he failed to do.
“Although the IFP was not physically present (at the April 4 in the council), they connected via an internet link,” the councillor said.
One of the NFP councillors could only confirm that there was a meeting on Tuesday to affirm Khali’s return to work.
“I am not sure whether he did go to his office on that day because I left after the meeting,” the NFP councillor said.
bongani.hans@inl.co.za