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Mail & Guardian reports that the “unlawful” appointment of a Mahikeng municipal manager who was hired despite being less qualified than his rivals has been set aside by the North West High Court.
Judge Samkelo Gura ruled this week that the local municipality, which is battling R2-billion in wasted funds and crumbling infrastructure, acted unlawfully and irrationally when it appointed Mike Mokgwamme as the municipal manager in June last year. This was ahead of two better qualified candidates also vying for the post. It was reported in April that Mokgwamme had scored a “basic” mark, which is the lowest score, in a competency test conducted by an independent assessor prior to his appointment. He was apparently the least qualified of the shortlisted candidates. Prior to his appointment, Mokgwamme had served as municipal manager in an acting capacity from June 2019 until his permanent posting in June 2020. Gura ruled that “the municipality had no power” to overlook candidates who passed their competency tests in consideration of a senior managerial post in favour of someone who scored “basic”. Setting aside Mokgwamme’s appointment, he said: “It therefore follows that if candidate A scores basic and [their] two opponents B and C are successful in the competency assessment, candidate A automatically drops from the race at that stage even before reaching the finishing line in the race track. [They] cannot be considered for appointment because there are two best candidates above [them].”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khaya Koko at Mail and Guardian
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