The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to urgently investigate the actions of Mayor Babalwa Lobishe following the incident in which municipal employees attacked the Acting Executive Director of Electricity and Energy.
Not only is the electricity department projected to bankrupt the metro within the next three to four years with a record projected loss of R1,3 billion in the current financial year, in recent weeks, serious concerns have been raised about the safety of its senior management. The Acting Executive Director has faced relentless personal attacks, culminating in credible death threats against him. On 5 August, matters escalated when municipal employees physically removed him from his office, demanding his removal. Intimidation and political interference are making it nearly impossible for the directorate to function.
Even more worrying is the interference from Mayor Lobishe. She has blatantly overstepped by instructing the Acting City Manager (ACM), Ted Pillay, to withdraw the letters of intention to suspend the employees involved in the incident.
The DA has written to the ACM requesting an investigation into the mayor’s actions in terms of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. Should any contravention be found, the matter must be referred to Council for consideration and subsequently referred to the Rules and Ethics Committee. We also requested that the ACM initiate an internal investigation into the conduct of the municipal employees involved in the physical altercation.
The DA further requested the ACM to:
- Present to Council an updated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling threats against municipal officials, including timelines, escalation processes, and protective measures, so that future incidents are addressed consistently and decisively.
- Commit to providing written progress reports to Council at regular intervals until the matter is resolved.
While it is important to hear the concerns of employees, we cannot condone an environment where they are allowed to intimidate, threaten, and manhandle their seniors. Escaping consequences under the threat of plunging the metro into darkness is unacceptable.
The manner in which the leadership of the institution has handled the chaos in this directorate is precisely why the metro is not regarded as a professional organisation, nor as an employer of choice among highly skilled professionals.
The people of Nelson Mandela Bay deserve an administration that is professional, principled, and unafraid to uphold the rule of law. The DA will continue to hold the leadership of the metro accountable until that becomes a reality.