Standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) chairperson Songezo Zibi has identified a conflict of interest in the eThekwini finance department, where chief financial officer (CFO) Dr Sandile Mnguni and his wife, Slindile, are employed.
Scopa warned that the arrangement might cause major issues for the city in terms of accountability and clean governance and favouritism, even though she does not directly report to her husband.
Slindile Mnguni also sits on the metro’s bid evaluation committee, which oversees submitting bids to the accounting authority.
“The metro needs to change its policy to prevent a similar situation, and in this case, either the CFO or his wife needs to move to another role; otherwise, the conflict of interest remains.
“The policy is unsustainable, and the City of eThekwini must change it,” Zibi told Sunday World.
Two weeks ago, Scopa questioned Dr Mnguni and other representatives of the metro’s finance department about a number of concerns related to governance challenges.
The issue of the Mngunis working for the same department was also on the agenda.
Although Slindile Mnguni was the first to be employed in the metro, with her husband joining much later, serious concerns were only raised when they began working together in its finance department.
The matter came before Scopa after Zibi wrote to eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba, requesting a detailed report concerning the employment of Slindile Mnguni.
Dr Mnguni, however, told the parliamentary watchdog that he was not directly involved in his wife’s operations as she does not report to him. When Scopa questioned him on whether he submitted a declaration of conflict of interest to the city regarding his appointment as CFO and that of his wife, he told the committee that eThekwini’s recruitment and selection policy had given guidance in the matter that the metro did not allow for direct supervision of relatives.
“The CFO has never directly supervised the employee and was not involved in the recruitment process or approval of the appointment. The employee was appointed based on merit, and she reports to a deputy director in the expenditure directorate,” said Dr Mnguni.
When EFF MP Mazwi Blose asked Dr Mnguni to explain allegations that he might have had a hand in his wife’s promotion within his department, eThekwini city manager, Musa Mbhele, jumped to his defence.
“Very briefly, we, well, let me say I, as his direct supervisor, satisfied myself that there is no nepotism. The lady (Mnguni’s wife) was appointed in 2011. At that time, the CFO was not the employee of the eThekwini municipality.”
eThekwini spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa declined to comment.
- Scopa chairperson Songezo Zibi identified a conflict of interest in eThekwini’s finance department due to CFO Dr Sandile Mnguni and his wife Slindile both being employed there.
- Slindile Mnguni is also a member of the metro’s bid evaluation committee, raising concerns about accountability, clean governance, and favouritism.
- Scopa urged the metro to revise its policy to prevent relatives working in overlapping roles, recommending that either Dr Mnguni or his wife be moved to a different position.
- Dr Mnguni denied direct involvement or supervision over his wife and stated that the appointment followed city policies prohibiting direct supervision of relatives.
- eThekwini city manager Musa Mbhele defended the hiring process, emphasizing that Slindile was employed before Dr Mnguni joined the department, and no nepotism occurred.
