GEORGE NEWS - A golden handshake worth several months' salary is said to be on the cards for former director of corporate services, Siphiwe James, after he was investigated about the appointment of an acting manager in his department. The decision was made at a council meeting last Wednesday, 28 September.
James has not been in office for a while. It is unclear who will act in the post of director of corporate services.
A decision to launch a Section 106 investigation was made on 25 August during a council meeting. The matter was discussed as a confidential item at both the 25 August and 28 September meetings.
George Herald previously learned that James' request for a settlement package had been turned down.
This decision was then revised, with the latest settlement allegedly comprising five months' salary. George Herald obtained this information from a reliable source, since George Municipality does not divulge details of personnel-related matters.
James previously referred all inquiries to Municipal Manager Michele Gratz. This week he refrained from comment.
Inquiries have been sent to George Municipality regarding James' severance package; whether criminal charges will be laid as per a previous decision; when his contract would have come to an end; who will act in his position and whether the post will be advertised soon.
Senior communications officer Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe replied that George Municipality does not provide comment on personnel-related matters.
Meanwhile, the exact spelling of James' first name remains a mystery. Asked previously about the spelling, he referred George Herald to Gratz. On the municipal website he is known as Siphiwe James. On LinkedIn he is introduced as Siphiwo James, and old friends call him Simphiwe.
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