MBABANE:Mbabane Mayor Thulani Mkhonto is among eight(8) Councillors who allegedly ‘resolved’ in a meeting to defy Housing and Urban Development Minister Apollo Maphalala’s directive calling upon the Councillors to prepare a contract and employ Gciniwe Fakudze as the new Chief Executive Officer(CEO).
This comes after Fakudze, a former Matsapha Town Clerk, passed interviews with 87% but, eight(8) Councilors are vigorously refusing to approve her employment.
As reported by this Swaziland News,the recruitment was conducted by an independent Consultant that recommended Gciniwe Fakudze as the first candidate.
New Mayor Thulani Mkhonto who is allegedly leading the anti-Gciniwe Fakudze faction, declined to comment when reached for comments by this publication this week.
It has been disclosed that,during a recent meeting for Councillors,the anti-Gciniwe Fakudze faction voted out all four(4) Councillors who were willing to implement the Minister’s directive to implement the recommendations of the Consultant and prepare an employment contract for the former Matsapha Town Clerk, the voting was for Council Executive Committees that include the Finance.
The removed pro-Gciniwe Fakudze Councillors include Velisiwe Manana who was in the Finance Committee, Sandile Ndzingane(Finance),Deputy Mayor Ayanda Sigudla and Vusi Tembe who was the Mayor.
Tembe,while holding the position of Mayor previously told this Swaziland News that, the Council was working on the recruitment of the CEO and the Nation will be notified once the process has been concluded.
“What I can confirm Nkhosi is that the Recruitment process is still going on,the outcome will be made public once all the processes are complete”, said the then Mbabane Mayor.
But sources told this publication that, after giving the Councillors two(2) weeks to prepare an employment contract for Fakudze who passed the interviews, the Housing and Urban Development Minister might fire
the Councillors and appoint an interim Council that will implement the Consultant’s recommendations.
“The Minister might fire the Council but the Councillors who are against Gciniwe might also approach the court and challenge the Minister”, said the source.
Responding to this publication earlier last month when this publication first published the story, former Matsapha Town Clerk Gciniwe Fakudze said, she was not ready to comment regarding the latest developments as “she is currently employed adding that,the matter is being discussed in other forums”.
The former Matsapha CEO who might soon lead the capital city is currently employed by MTN Eswatini as Lead Customer Experience.
“It’s difficult for me to comment Nkhosi because I’m currently employed and I must inspire and maintain confidence with my current employer. The matter you are asking me about is discussed in other forums so it’s difficult to comment”, said the former Matsapha CEO.
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, the Councillors who are against employment of Gciniwe Fakudze as the Mbabane CEO include among others, the current Mayor Thulani Mkhonto,Thantayena Mkhonta, Monday Dlamini, Maphevu Dlamini, Themba Malaza Percy Rocher, Mbutfo Nhlengetfwa and Simangaliso Gama.
The anti-Gciniwe Fakudze faction of Councillors allegedly accused her of taking nude pictures and therefore cannot be the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and represent the capital city.
But human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, when responding to this publication, urged the Councillors to exercise their powers diligently and/or without being personal to the recommended candidates.
“The Urban Government Act enjoins councilors to appoint the CEO subject to the Minister’s approval. It is not the other way round.The Councillors should of course exercise their powers diligently.They must have lawful reasons for rejecting a candidate other than personal things.The minister should also not interfere with council matters. In short the municipality Councillors must discuss the selected candidates then vote on the name they recommend for appointment to the Minister”, said the human rights lawyer.
New Mbabane Mayor Thulani Mkhonto(pic: Observer).