BLOEMFONTEIN – The DA in Mangaung Metro has rejected an investigation report into misconduct allegations against City Manager Sello More, saying the council was asked to approve an unsigned four-page document without access to the full investigation record or supporting evidence.

An independent investigator considered eight of 18 allegations of misconduct brought against More in July. Several allegations about financial misconduct were regarded as outside the scope of the investigation.

The Mangaung Council held an in-committee meeting on 3 September in which the ANC majority voted to accept the report delivered by executive mayor Gregory Nthatisi.

According to DA mayoral candidate for Mangaung Metro Werner Pretorius and other opposition leaders, they will not accept the investigator’s report.

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DA ward councillor Tjaart van der Walt said councillors were asked to accept the unsigned report without the full investigation record, the DA’s evidence, or the municipal manager’s representations and supporting documents being provided to council.

At a news conference on Friday 11 September, Pretorius said the DA will continue to explore all available internal and external avenues to ensure accountability for serious failures in municipal management.

Unanswered questions

DA ward councillor Dirk Kotzé said the party submitted a list of more than 60 Rule 38 questions raised by councillors over several years that remain unanswered.

“We provided proof of the original submissions and follow-ups, as well as the agendas of all ordinary council meetings over the past three years, showing that these questions were never brought before council as required by the Standing Rules and Orders,” Kotzé said.

These rules require questions to be answered within 14 days of submission.

Kotzé said the city manager’s failure to provide the requested information is effectively obstructing councillors from carrying out their oversight responsibilities on behalf of their constituents.

Certificate of debt

In July, More received a certificate of debt from the auditor-general naming him as the accounting officer who is directly and personally liable for financial losses caused by his failure to recover state funds.

The certificate relates to R2,2 million that the metro paid to contractors who never worked on the projects they were paid for. The certificate of debt cannot be transferred from one accounting officer to another.

Metro spokesperson Nicolette Maysiels said in a statement the investigation was intended to provide an objective assessment of allegations raised against the city manager and to determine whether there were grounds for the institution of disciplinary proceedings.