The Municipal Manager who was appointed by council on November 30th, approached the High Court in the province for clarity on her appointment. 

This comes after Fezile Dabi Executive Mayor, Magugudi Oliphant, allegedly refused to sign her employment contract, nor conclude her performance agreement as required by the Local Government Municipal Structures Act. According to court documents, Molibeli was informed that she would officially take up the position of Municipal Manager from December 1, 2017, but until recently did not have any formal documents to prove that.

Mayor Oliphant launched a counter application asking for the appointment to be set aside, stating that the council was non-compliant in the process. She says council did not appoint a panel to preside over the appointment, nor did they submit a written report to Free State Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC. 

The Municipality is noted in court documents to support Molibeli’s version of the events, opposing the Mayor. The High Court dismissed both Molibeli and Oliphant’s applications, further ruling that the Fezile Dabi District Municipality needed to inform the MEC of Local Government, in this case, Oupa Khoabane, of the appointment process and outcome of the preferred applicant as Municipal Manager.

OFM News