Suspensions in the balance

GEORGE NEWS - George Council will deliberate the issue of the possible suspension of both Municipal Manager Trevor Botha and Director of Protection Services Steven Erasmus at a special meeting tomorrow, 15 November.

Both senior officials submitted their representations, giving reasons why they should not be suspended as a precautionary measure for the duration of an investigation into alleged financial misconduct and/or transgressions of the disciplinary code.

An item on the allegations against Botha and Erasmus served in the confidential papers at a council meeting on 31 October. Portfolio Councillor of Protection Services, Cecil Noble, reported the allegations to Speaker Gerrit Pretorius and Mayor Melvin Naik, whereafter a discussion in council ensued.

On a request for comment last week, Botha confirmed that both himself and Erasmus would answer the "unfounded and baseless allegations" comprehensively.

He said, "The Municipal Finance Management Act stipulates very clearly that a municipality must investigate allegations of financial misconduct against the accounting officer, the chief financial officer, a senior manager or other official of the municipality, unless those allegations are frivolous, vexatious, speculative or obviously unfounded."

Trevor Botha.

Botha said in accordance with this legislation it is the duty of the authority to "apply its mind and assess the allegations" before any action is instituted.

This is the second attempt in less than a month to suspend the municipal manager and institute disciplinary proceedings against him. The first attempt, on 2 October, failed since the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.

At the meeting on 2 October, a report on the outcome of an investigation was tabled, which found Noble guilty of electricity theft. Four days after a criminal case was registered against Noble, he submitted a list of allegations of financial misconduct levelled against Botha and Erasmus.

Cecil Noble.