A letter of intent to dismiss the worker has been served.
Steve Tshwete municipal manager Advocate Bheki Khenisa has given a municipal employee 48 hours to state reasons why he should not be summarily dismissed for calling him a monster.
The employee, Isaac Mohlala who works at the department of civil engineering is accused of insulting Khenisa as well as the municipality’s mayor on his Facebook page.
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Mohlala is a member of the ANC, SACP and South African Municipal Workers’ Union – SAMWU.
Mohlala launched a social media attack on the municipality’s political and administrative leadership, calling for the removal of Khenisa from the position of municipal manager.
Since last year the municipality has experienced a number of community unrests emanating from increased tariffs.
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This was before workers entered into a two-month strike, demanding to be paid grade 5 salaries in September 2021.
Mohlala also scorned the ANC Nkangala regional structure for “failing to remove” Khenisa and calling them a “dead body”.
In the letter that 013NEWS has seen, Khenisa accuses Mohlala of making comments that are “rude, abusive, insolent and provocative” on 15 November 2021 and 8 February 2022.
“You have addressed top-ranking officials of the government in a derogatory and unprofessional manner, suggesting that they have appointed the municipal manager into the Steve Tshwete local municipality and using the name ‘monster’ when referring to the municipal manager, which is an insulting word, and comments that have an impact of inciting violence and confusion within the municipality,” the letter to Mohlala read.
“You have also addressed the executive mayor in a derogatory and unprofessional manner and further cited the structure or committee of the African National Congress in a condescending and unethical manner,” Khenisa told Mohlala.
“Publishing the internal affairs of the municipality on Facebook (dismissal or employment of the municipal manager) when you do not have the authority to do so, which actions are contrary to the municipal communications policy,” the letter further read.
Responding to enquires, Mohlala told 013NEWS that he has got the right to speak his mind on any issue.
“I am a member of the ANC, I have that right to speak without fear or favour,” he said.
“This is my personal Facebook account, not the municipality’s. I can express my views and comment on any issue without fear of being intimidated,” Mohlala said.
Khenisa said that he had a responsibility to make sure that the municipal code of conduct is adhered to.
“It is nothing personal against the employee. He knows the municipality has a policy regulating communication of municipal’s internal affairs publicly” he told 013NEWS.
“There should be consequences if anyone conducts himself outside the guidelines that are contained in the policy,” Khenisa said.
(edited by LS)
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