Mr Speaker, poor South Africans lose out on service delivery opportunities when corrupt officials are redeployed and effectively given new opportunities to pilfer public funds. The DA condemns yesterday's decision by the Sundays River Valley Local Municipality Council to appoint the dismissed Bitou municipal manager to the position municipal manager of the Sundays River Valley.
This new incumbent was dismissed last month from his previous position at the Bitou Local Municipality because he was found guilty of four counts of financial misconduct. It is astounding that somebody found guilty of financial misconduct could be employed ... [Interjections.]
HON MEMBERS: It's shocking! [Interjections.]
Order!
... in a senior management position at another municipality. The DA believes that this appointment falls foul of section 57(1)(a) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Act, Act No 7 of 2011, which prohibits the re-employment of staff members dismissed for financial misconduct in any municipality for a period of 10 years.
I urge the Minister for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to take immediate action to suspend the incumbent until the department has been able to establish the legality of this appointment and to set a timeframe for the resolution of this matter.
If the redeployment of corrupt officials is allowed to continue unchecked, local government will collapse under the weight of maladministration, corruption and mismanagement, service delivery will continue to be disrupted and poor communities will continue to be denied basic services. [Applause.]