Mangaung Concerned Community's (MCC) Themba Zweni says they understand that the position has to be filled, however, they do not understand why the Special Council sitting has to happen while other councillors are at Nasrec for the African National Congress' (ANC) 55th National Conference. 

“A letter written on 27 October 2022, wherein we brought to the attention of the council the flaws in the process of [electing] the MM, we tabulated the process and the time frames the council had to adhere to, to ensure that this process is free from any controversies. We suggested to council that this process be aborted and that they (council) revert back to the initial proposal of 8 December 2021, namely using an independent professional recruitment agency,” read the MCC’s media statement.

ALSO READ: Mangaung to appoint fifth City Manager in a year

OFM News previously reported that Mangaung Metro is looking to appoint its fifth MM in less than a year. The current acting MM is Tebogo Motlashuping, and according to the job advertisement, his successor will be in office for five years. 

The first MM to be axed from office was Sello More in late January of 2022, just a few days before the end of his contract. However, the job advertisement which closed on 26 August, was not the first advertisement for a permanent MM position this year. To date, More’s removal from power is still explained to be unusual, as the motion to see him removed from office was introduced by a council.

At the time, a close source to OFM News stated the council should have issued a letter to More, intending to suspend him, pending an investigation. However, the spotlight has always been on More’s appointments since the beginning of his days in office. It was reported by SABC News that the Supreme Court has ordered More’s appointment by the MEC for Cooperative Governance (Cogta), Mxolisi Dukwana, to be illegal. More has since tried to launch an urgent court bid against the Metro, with the hopes of interdicting the appointment of his successor.

However, More’s application did not stop the Metro from appointing Teboho Maine as an Acting City Manager. Shortly after Maine moved into office, Dukwana launched an interdict against him (Maine). The Free State High Court judge, Sharon Chesiwe, ordered that Maine must be interdicted from assuming any responsibilities in the office. A decision was then taken to appoint the head of the Directorate of Social Services, Mzingisi Nkungwana, as the third acting City Manager in late February. At the time of Nkungwana’s appointment, there was a job advertisement for a permanent City Manager.

When the National Department of Cogta took control over the Metro, with Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma being in control, the fourth acting City Manager, Tebogo Motlashuping, was appointed. Motlashuping is the latest addition to the acting city managers that have been appointed since late January, while the search for the permanent city manager was going on.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi and Tshehla Koteli