Municipal manager suspended

Date: 16 July 2004 By: Andries van Zyl

Rambado was suspended by Council on allegations of corruption and nepotism. This came a week after rumours surfaced that he had been suspended. Last week, Mayor Nkuzana could neither deny nor confirm the rumours. This week, it transpired that Council was only waiting for Rambado to return from a Municipal Manager’s workshop in Ireland, from which he returned on Sunday. The official letter of suspension was handed to him on Monday.

Mayor Nkuzana said on Tuesday that Rambado’s suspension followed a report by the Ad Hoc committee appointed as part of the mayor’s 100 Days Plan, launched in September last year, to investigate allegations of nepotism and corruption.

“It has to be mentioned that some of the findings of the committee have tarnished the image of the municipality as an institution. The image of the municipal manager, both as an accounting officer and an individual, was tarnished as well,” Mayor Nkuzana said. He did not want to elaborate on the nature of the charges against Rambado, merely stating: “The charges cannot be disclosed for now as the disciplinary committee is still busy with the formulation thereof.” Mayor Nkuzana did, however, say the Council will commence with disciplinary proceedings to ensure that Rambado is served with charges.

Mayor Nkuzana added that, as the investigation continues, more heads are expected to roll. When asked about the identity of the other persons, Mayor Nkuzana said that, for now, they do not have names of other people.

“The name being mentioned again and again was that of the Municipal Manager,” Mayor Nkuzana said. He later added: “We hope there are no other people involved.”

Asked how long Rambado’s suspension would continue, Mayor Nkuzana stated that he could not give a time frame, as “these things can drag on and on.” He did, however, state that Council want to conclude the issue as a matter of urgency.

“We would prefer ‘n situation were it does not take longer than a month,” Mayor Nkuzana said.

Another question which again surfaced was why the full findings of the Ad Hoc committee into allegations of corruption and nepotism in Council have still not been re-leased as promised. Mayor Nkuzana said that they could not release the report as no one has been charged yet. He said he hoped the report would be released within the next couple of days. In the meantime the Director: Municipal Secretariat, Mrs Faith Muthambi, has been appointed as Acting Municipal Manager.

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Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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