No disciplinary action will be taken against Zamile Sikhundla, the municipal manager of the Alfred Nzo district municipality in Eastern Cape, the council has said.
This after Sikhundla handed himself over to the police in November 2022 following a request by the Special Investigating Unit amid his corruption allegations.
He was later released on R5 000 bail.
On Wednesday, the municipality said in a statement that the alleged corruption took place in 2014, years before Sikhundla was appointed municipal manager.
Lixolile Petela, head of communications at Alfred Nzo municipality, said the council made strong emphasis that all the actions taken by the municipal manager relating to the project in question were sanctioned by council at the time.
“Mayor Vukile Mhlelembana explained that, upon learning of the municipal manager’s arrest, he appointed independent lawyers to investigate and give a legal opinion on the matter, and the recommendation was that this case related to alleged corruption that took place in 2014, a time when Mr Sikhundla was not yet appointed as the municipal manager.
“The council has since resolved that Sikhundla will not be subjected to any disciplinary action on allegations of corruption which saw him handing himself over to the SAPS [SA Police Service] in November 2022,” said Petela.
He further said the council respects the rights of its employees and any legal process affecting the municipal operations.
“We will comply with any investigation on any of the municipal employees.”
The municipality has been under investigation since 2017, when several employees were arrested after former president Jacob Zuma issued a proclamation about certain contracts relating to the procurement of services by the municipality.
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