Even before his official start as a CFO for the Amathole District Municipality, Lubabalo Manjingolo’s appointment is being contested.
A losing candidate in the selection process and an NGO are questioning the appointment.
Ncedile Zengethwa, who applied for the post, is questioning the appointment process and wants the municipality to give him records, while NGO Equality Collective, a community-based organisation focusing on rural parts of the province, is asking the ANC and municipality to rethink the appointment.
In a statement, Eastern Cape spokesperson Zoe Postman said Manjingolo was not suitable for the position.
“In a time when ADM is in dire need of ethical and accountable leadership, and political and financial stability, this appointment is deeply concerning.
“We can no longer ignore the blatant disregard for the way these decisions affect our communities.
“We are bearing the brunt of a politically and financially bankrupt municipality that is unable to deliver basic services to our communities and decisions to appoint officials with pending corruption charges do not instil confidence in us that our municipality has the political will and ethical leadership to turn ADM around,” Postman said.
Manjingolo was controversially appointed at a behind-closed-doors meeting of the ADM council in July.
But his appointment has been met with resistance in the council.
The Daily Dispatch reported shortly after his appointment that there was unhappiness even among some ANC councillors when the recommendation was made that he be appointed for the post, which is the second most powerful position in the administration.
The unhappiness about Manjingolo stems from the fact that he still has a pending criminal case.
Manjingolo was arrested in 2018 together with 11 other officials of the Mnquma local municipality, where he had previously been the CFO.
They face charges relating to the irregular awarding of contracts and gratifications received by some of the accused.
Manjingolo faces charges of contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.
His charges relate to a R24m turnkey electrification project awarded to RPS Engineering CC/RPS Ilangabi, as well as the awarding of a contract to Big Event Boy to supply and deliver cleaning equipment for one year.
It cost the municipality R10m. The scandal is popularly known as the “black plastic bags” case.
Postman said the appointment bizarrely contradicted the ANC’s own “step-aside rule which states that any member of the ANC facing criminal charges must step down from their position until the court case has been concluded.
“If this is the ANC’s own policy, why is it instructing council members to support a candidate with pending corruption charges?
“The Local Government Regulations on the Appointment of Conditions of Employment of Senior Managers clearly state that a suitable candidate for a senior management job must be evaluated on their moral competency.
“The candidate must be ‘able to identify moral triggers, apply reasoning and promote honesty and integrity and consistently display behaviour that reflects moral competency’.
“There is simply no way that Mr Manjingolo, who has been indicted [for contravention of Municipal Finance Management Act], could have passed this assessment,” she said.
She said Manjingolo was not a suitable candidate, and called on ADM to prioritise “morally competent appointments, people who display ethical, credible and honest leadership”.
“If this is the ANC’s own policy, why is it instructing council members to support a candidate with pending corruption charges?
In his letter to ADM municipal manager, Dr Bhekisisa Mthembu, Zengethwa questioned why he was overlooked in favour of Manjingolo.
He asked Mthembu to provide him with records of the appointment process, including names of shortlisted candidates, assessment reports, the scores for candidates and the resolution of the council meeting that made the appointment.
“I believe I am eligible for the above-mentioned information as I was part of the process.
“I cannot put the issue to rest without obtaining an understanding where I went wrong.
“Why was I overlooked and someone with pending legal matters considered? What have I done wrong or am I not good enough?
“I need to be able to answer some of these questions in my mind,” Zengethwa said.
Mthembu confirmed he had received Zengethwa’s letter and had advised him on the correct process to follow to obtain the information he was demanding.
Manjingolo declined to comment.
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