The Citizen reports that Tshwane city manager Moeketsi Mosola faces accusations of purging senior staff in the mayor’s office after he fired two officials soon after Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa terminated the irregular GladAfrica contract.  

Council and Mokgalapa resolved on Thursday last week that the multimillion-rand GladAfrica deal would be terminated with immediate effect.  The following day, Mosola sent a letter to mayoral spokesperson Sam Mgobozi and head in the private office of the mayor Stefan de Villiers requesting them to vacate their positions with immediate effect.  Their dismissals came after investigations into their irregular appointments last year.  Mgobozi did not possess the required 12 years’ working experience, while De Villiers only had a fitness training certificate for his position, which required a bachelor’s degree.  They earned more than R1 million a year.  This decision has been slated by members of the Young Communist League (YCL) of Tshwane as being in retaliation against Mokgalapa for acting decisively on GladAfrica.  The city manager did not fire chief of emergency Previn Govender, whom he appointed without the required qualifications.  YCL district secretary Kgabo Morifi said:  “He is showing Mokgalapa that he cannot be touched and that [the mayor] should eat from the palm of his hand.  The mayor should push for Mosola to terminate the contract of Govender with immediate effect, in line with how he terminated the ‘body builder’ and the spokesperson.”

• Read the full original of Rorisang Kgosana’s report on this story at The Citizen
• Read too, Dismissal of officials at City of Tshwane 'smacks of opportunism inconsistency', says YCLSA, at News24
• And also, Public Protector investigates Tshwane city manager for abuse of power, at News24

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