Overstrand Municipal Manager takes temporary helm in George

GEORGE NEWS - Overstrand Municipality's municipal manager, Dr Dean O'Neill, will be seconded to George Municipality to serve as acting municipal manager for an initial period of three months.

The arrangement was approved by the Overstrand Municipal Council* in a special council meeting on 29 July and may be extended for a further three months if required.

According to information published on Overstrand Municipality's website on Monday 3 August, George Municipality requested the secondment after the contract with its previous municipal manager, Godfrey Louw, was terminated.

George Municipality confirmed that the secondment is expected to commence in August following consultation with the Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, and the completion of the relevant legislative processes.

Municipal spokesperson Chantèl Edwards said appointing an experienced municipal manager from another municipality was intended to ensure administrative stability and continuity while the recruitment process for a permanent municipal manager continues.

"Seconding a municipal manager from another municipality is neither unusual nor unprecedented. Following an extended period of acting arrangements, it was considered appropriate to appoint an experienced municipal manager on secondment to ensure administrative stability and continuity while the recruitment process for a permanent municipal manager continues," she said.

George Herald became aware of the proposed secondment after obtaining information contained in a confidential item discussed during a special council meeting in George on 27 July.

Edwards acknowledged this, saying the publication had obtained the confidential documents "in error", but nevertheless confirmed the arrangement.

Overstrand Municipality said the necessary arrangements have been made to ensure the continued and uninterrupted delivery of municipal services during O'Neill's temporary assignment.

Edward Jantjies has been appointed as acting municipal manager of Overstrand Municipality for the duration of O'Neill's absence.

Legal costs

George Herald also requested comment on legal costs reportedly amounting to more than R1m, relating to the settlement of litigation between George Municipality and the Department of Local Government over the municipality's application to extend Louw's term of office beyond the statutory retirement age.

Edwards declined to comment, stating that the George Municipality "does not comment on or provide information relating to internal legal processes".

The matter of the legal costs was the subject of a question submitted earlier this year by Good councillor Chantelle Kyd, which was answered by the municipality in confidential council documents dated 13 May.