The Mangaung Metro Municipality has halted the job of the CEO’s advert after controversy stirred up by the National Treasury over discrepancies identified.
This comes after Sunday World had published the story last Sunday that Centlec had gone to advertise a job of the CEO, where three people were already shortlisted.
Among those who were shortlisted included the former CEO, Malefane Sekoboto, who was appointed to act on the position in January. Sekoboto was the CEO for Centlec, which is the power utility of Mangaung for the past five years, and his contract ended in December last year.
After we have published the story that the job advert had discrepancies, Mangaung held an urgent special council meeting on Monday to discuss a way forward regarding the appointment.
Mayor bats for Sekoboto
Insiders claim that before the special council meeting could take place at Mangaung Council Chambers in Bloemfontein, they alleged that the mayor, Gregory Nthatisi put a spirited fight to convince council to re-appoint Sekoboto.
“Ntate Nthatisi was very vocal before the meeting telling us that Sekoboto should be re-appointed as he said that he is the right person to lead Centlec as he did for the past five years. He is fond of Sekoboto and he wanted him to be the CEO again. Unfortunately, his wishes were thwarted as the council resolved in putting the appointment of the CEO from the three people who were shortlisted on hold. Ankere Sekoboto was shortlisted with Xolile Faku and George Neervoort. Your story on Sunday frustrated the whole process and the appointment was abandoned, as the council took a decision to appoint HR manager of Mangaung, Mpho Molemela, to be an acting CEO for three months,” said an insider.
‘You are a hired gun’
Nthatisi said on Wednesday that he didn’t do any bidding for Sekoboto.
“Your sources were high on dagga. I don’t smoke dagga nor drinking alcohol. I wonder who are your sources? You are the controversial Bongani who writes rubbish things, as you’ve got your own sources. You are a hired gun. Where and when did I push for Sekoboto’s re-appointment. I have been with the municipality for two years and I don’t know those people at Mangaung and Centlec,” said Nthatisi.
“I don’t even know those people appointed. You wrote the story on the weekend that can identify who your sources are. Let me tell you. You and Treasury are lost. Trading services are a new thing that had been introduced, and Centlec is an existing entity. Centlec is run through the board, not the city manager. You and Treasury must talk to the board to understand processes.”
‘The board calls the shots’
He added that the job advert was running and stated that Treasury came after the shortlisting was done.
“Treasury must communicate with the Board of [Centlec]. In order for us to be in line with Treasury and its requirements, despite Centlec being under the auspices of the board, Centlec must be transformed into reforms. But as we speak, Centlec is under the leadership of the board. We can’t ignore all those existing arrangements; we must harness them. In my process of harnessing existing arrangements, that’s when I engaged Treasury and ask when the situation is like this, what do I do? So at what point did I enforce the appointment? When Centlec advert was done, it was based on the power utility’s operations and regulations sent to us by Treasury,” said Nthatisi.
We can’t leave Centlec on autopilot
He said that the appointment of Molemela came to the fore after Sekoboto’s acting contract ended on Tuesday and stated that this action was done by Mangaung to have someone acting in the position while the challenges of the job advert are still being discussed.
“As you know that we cannot leave Centlec without CEO while we are still dealing with the issue of the appointment of the new CEO, hence Ms Molemela was appointed in acting position. We cannot get the same person to continue acting many times [referring to Sekoboto exit],” said Nthatisi.
‘Sekoboto has been there’
When asked if he wanted Sekoboto to be re-appointed, Nthatisi said, “Was Treasury saying we should not appoint Sekoboto or not appoint him? Treasury never spoke about appointments and Sekoboto, but it spoke about following prescripts. I want someone who should be appointed to be a candidate in line with what Treasury recommends and capable. Sekoboto was part of the entire leadership of Centlec that had been doing its best to do the work. Your sources are counter revolutionary.”
Municipal trading services reforms
On Sunday after Sunday World published the story, director-general of cooperative governance Mbulelo Tshangana issued a circular where he stated that the National Treasury has initiated a series of reforms aimed at addressing the deteriorating performance of municipal trading services.
“These challenges are characterised by declining infrastructure performance, increasing operational inefficiencies, weakening revenue collection, and growing financial instability within metropolitan municipalities. Trading services, including water and sanitation, electricity and energy, and solid waste management, are central to both service delivery and the financial sustainability of municipalities, and their underperformance has had a direct and adverse impact on economic growth and the viability of cities. Central to this reform is the principle of a Single Point of Management Accountability, which requires that accountability for the full value chain of a trading service be vested in a single individual reporting directly to the accounting officer [city managers/municipal managers], thereby eliminating fragmentation and strengthening performance accountability,” said Tshangana.
He added: “Municipal managers are, as an interim measure, authorised to commence with recruitment and selection processes for the heads of these functional or business units. These processes must be undertaken in strict compliance with applicable legal and labour frameworks and must be conducted in a manner that is open, transparent, and competitive. Municipalities must ensure that recruitment processes are designed to attract individuals with the requisite combination of technical expertise, commercial acumen, and leadership capability required to manage complex trading services as integrated utility businesses.”
Sekoboto and Mangaung spokesperson Nicolette Maysiels did not respond to questions sent to them at the time of going to print.
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- Mangaung Metro Municipality halted the CEO job advertisement for Centlec after National Treasury raised concerns over discrepancies in the recruitment process.
- Former CEO Malefane Sekoboto, who acted as CEO since January and was shortlisted for re-appointment, was supported by Mayor Gregory Nthatisi, but council put the appointment on hold.
- Mayor Nthatisi denied lobbying for Sekoboto's re-appointment, stating that the recruitment process is overseen by Centlec’s board and Treasury must engage with the board regarding appointment procedures.
- Mpho Molemela, HR manager of Mangaung, was appointed as acting CEO for three months after Sekoboto’s acting contract ended, to ensure leadership continuity at Centlec.
- National Treasury and cooperative governance have initiated reforms to improve municipal trading services, emphasizing single-point accountability and transparent recruitment for utility leadership roles.
After we have published the story that the job advert had discrepancies,
Insiders claim that before the special council meeting could take place at
“Ntate
“Your sources were high on dagga. I don't smoke dagga nor drinking alcohol. I wonder who are your sources? You are the controversial
"I don’t even know those people appointed. You wrote the story on the weekend that can identify who your sources are. Let me tell you. You and Treasury are lost.
He added that the job advert was running and stated that Treasury came after the shortlisting was done.
“Treasury must communicate with the Board of [Centlec]. In order for us to be in line with Treasury and its requirements, despite Centlec being under the auspices of the board, Centlec must be transformed into reforms. But as we speak, Centlec is under the leadership of the board. We can’t ignore all those existing arrangements; we must harness them. In my process of harnessing existing arrangements, that's when I engaged Treasury and ask when the situation is like this, what do I do? So at what point did I enforce the appointment? When Centlec advert was done, it was based on the power utility’s operations and regulations sent to us by Treasury,” said
He said that the appointment of Molemela came to the fore after Sekoboto’s acting contract ended on Tuesday and stated that this action was done by
“As you know that we cannot leave Centlec without CEO while we are still dealing with the issue of the appointment of the new CEO, hence Ms Molemela was appointed in acting position. We cannot get the same person to continue acting many times [referring to Sekoboto exit],” said
When asked if he wanted Sekoboto to be re-appointed,
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He added: “Municipal managers are, as an interim measure, authorised to commence with recruitment and selection processes for the heads of these functional or business units.
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