CAPE TOWN – DA infighting is halting the process of appointing a Cape Town City manager, according to Aljama leader and councillor Ganief Hendriks.

Hendriks is calling on the national government to intervene and oversee the process.

The post is vacant after Achmat Ebrahim quit amid allegations of corruption, which are linked to claims of maladministration levelled against Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille.

Hendriks says opposition parties were left with major concerns when scheduled interviews were cancelled.

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“The caucus of the DA was not happy with the selection panel, so she is most probably going to increase the panel to accommodate their concerns and also they are going to relook at the applicants that are going to be interviewed,” said Hendriks. 

He claims the process lacks fairness

“We are very concerned about the 197 applicants and that their pre-employment rights are being compromised. Why must they go through these procedures if there is political interference in appointments? They don’t have a city manager, the acting city manager was fired after two or three weeks and replaced. There is a lot of uncertainty and they are responsible for service delivery.”

But the mayor is rubbishing his claims.

“Council has agreed that the mayor, in consultation with the mayoral committee, must establish a selection panel. That panel has now been established,” De Lille said.

“We have finalise the shortlist of people to be interviewed. We further agreed to extend and open up the process for the sake of transparency for the opposition parties to come and observe the process. So there is absolutely no crisis.”

The City of Cape Town says the appointment process is unfolding in accordance with the relevant regulations.

eNCA