By Bongani Mdakane
Johannesburg – Drama has erupted in the Nketoana local municipality over the appointment of new municipal manager, Monyane Sefantsi, about his bachelor’s degree.
Sunday World understands that Sefantsi has only been at the helm of the municipality since October 8 and already there are questions over his appointment. ANC provincial officials and municipal insiders claim that Sefantsi was parachuted to the position without producing a minimum bachelor’s degree as required for the position.
The MEC for cooperative governance and traditional a airs in the Free State, Thembeni Nxangisa, also entered the fray after he wrote a letter to the mayor of Nketoana, Mamiki Mokoena, demanding answers on why Sefantsi was appointed without required degree, as it was a mandatory requirement.
In the letter based on the regulation 17 report of the Municipal Act that the MEC penned on November 25 and which has been seen by Sunday World, Nxangisa gave the municipal manager until December 2 to produce his degree.
But Sefantsi has not responded to the MEC’s letter.
“Upon analysing the appointment documents, it was found that the bachelor’s certificate, which is a minimum requirement to be appointed to the position of the municipal manager, was not submitted/attached.
“The mayor is therefore advised to submit the outstanding bachelor’s certificate to the MEC within seven [7] working days after receipt of this letter. Please note that failure to act as advised, the MEC will approach the court for a declaratory order setting aside the appointment as invalid.”
Responding to Sunday World, Sefantsi said he was aware of the deadline set by the MEC.
“I am not going to be threatened by anyone. This is possible political interference. “The national diploma in public management that I have is my second qualification. It is a different learning field altogether. I majored in municipal finances, public administration and municipal administration for that qualification. I couldn’t finish it because I got employed at the tourism authority.”
Sefantsi was at the centre of drama in 2013, when it was reported that he and former Free State tourism MEC Mxolisi Dukwana, who at the time was a friend of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule , had overspent more than R8-million that was never budgeted for when Sefantsi was the CEO of Free State Tourism.
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