Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille
ANC clueless yet again
The ANC’s statement today regarding a so-called ‘witch-hunt against black
professionals’ in the City of Cape Town once again exposes Tony Ehrenreich’s
ineptitude. It is a classic example of Ehrenreich wearing two caps as both
ANC Caucus Leader and provincial COSATU Secretary-General. His
statement is nothing more than proof of the fact that he is failing hopelessly in
both roles.
If Mr Maqetuka and Advocate Mayimele-Hathastse need representation by
a shop steward, Tony Ehrenreich would be a very bad choice.
The alleged ‘spate of resignations’ has in fact been the voluntary resignation
of two Executive Directors out of the 11 Executive Directors in the City of
Cape Town.
The resignations of both Advocate Mayimele-Hashatse and Mr Maqetuka
were not at all related to their performance. Instead, they both resigned of
their own volition for personal reasons. The Public Protector can therefore
investigate these resignations with pleasure and conduct interviews about
said personal reasons.
The post for a senior manager in the Corporate Services Directorate was null
and void because the Executive Director did not follow due process. The
accusations regarding the appointment of a senior manager to drive
employment equity being taken away from Advocate Mayimele- Hashatse
are therefore devoid of the truth. The position of Director: Employment Equity
was advertised by the Corporate Services Directorate on 18 and 19 October
2014 with a closing date of 31 January 2015, without the position having been
approved by the Mayoral Committee as required in terms of Council’s
delegations of power. Applications were received and interviews scheduled,
still without the post having been approved or graded.
The City Manager intervened in the process and instructed the Executive
Director to cease until the post was duly approved and only after an
Employment Equity Plan was developed and approved by the City Manager.
If this constitutes ‘qualifie(d) as a constructive dismissal’ in terms of Tony
Ehrenreich’s confused understanding, then Advocate Mayimele- Hashatse
would be free to challenge it in court.
Furthermore, no one in the Mayor’s Office is currently doing an MBA, nor is
anyone registered to do an MBA in the future. Instead of making up facts
and lying, Councillor Ehrenreich should try and work in the real world along
with the rest of us. In the real world, our latest figures show that we are
performing well in terms of employment equity.
Our latest statistics display the deep commitment we have to employment
equity. 65,5% of people from employment equity target groups are employed
in the three highest levels of management in the City of Cape Town. The City
achieved or exceeded the majority of its employment equity performance
targets during this period. This is as a result of the prioritisation of building an
inclusive city where our workforce mirrors the diversity of our city. The City
cannot prevent people from resigning for personal reasons but Councillor
Ehrenreich should stop shadow-boxing with demons that only he can see.