The Democratic Alliance (DA) has warned the Speaker of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality (JTGDM) to ensure that standard internal disciplinary processes against the Municipal Manager, Kagisho Klaas Teise, are implemented without further delay following his arrest by the Hawks at the end of June on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering.
The DA is deeply concerned by the ANC’s blatant interference in municipal governance after a Special Council Meeting, convened this week to consider the implications of the criminal charges against the Municipal Manager, was purposefully derailed.
ANC councillors were recalled from the meeting, preventing Council from concluding its business, while a suspiciously convenient power outage also delayed the resumption of proceedings. We also have reason to believe that a recommendation for the Municipal Manager to be placed on special leave was overturned through ANC political interference.
This is an attack on good governance and the independence of Council. The municipality exists to serve residents, not to protect ANC cadres facing criminal charges.
JTDGM has an obligation to institute its own internal disciplinary processes while criminal proceedings unfold. Failure to do so sends a dangerous message that lawlessness is tolerated at the expense of accountability.
The DA therefore calls on the Speaker to urgently reconvene Council to address and consider the matter, ensure that disciplinary proceedings unfold in accordance with regulations, and that the relevant level of consequence management be imposed following necessary investigations.
If the municipality continues to ignore its legal and governance responsibilities, the DA will use every available option to hold it accountable and ensure it follows the law.
The people of the JTG district deserve a municipality that puts clean governance first, not one that protects officials facing serious criminal charges.