Prince's bonus investigated

09 November 2005

Ronel Bester

Cape Town - The payment of a performance bonus of about R49 000 to Truman Price, municipal manager of the Central Karoo district municipality, is being investigated.

The issues raised about the bonus include the fact that no tax was deducted from the payment. The period for which performance was evaluated was apparently only six months, but Prince was apparently paid as if he has been working for the municipality for a full year.

According to sources, Prince was appointed as municipal manager on December 20 2004, and his performance was appraised from that period to June 30 this year. However, he only signed a performance agreement with the municipality in September this year.

Questions are now being asked how the R49 186 bonus was justified. Officials qualify for a bonus of a maximum of 10% of their annual package. Prince earns about R579 000 per annum.

Doubts over Prince's performance appraisal

After Prince's performance was appraised, a decision was taken that he should receive a bonus that equals 8.49% of his annual package. This means that he had a very successful performance appraisal and questions are being raised whether his contravention of the municipal code of conduct and the final warning he received had been taken into account.

Vusi Tshose, spokesperson for Richard Dyantyi, provincial minister of local government and housing, confirmed that his department and the special investigation unit (SIU) were investigating the payment of the bonus.

The SIU under advocate Willie Hofmeyr assists the national prosecuting authority (NPA) by investigating cases and preparing them for possible prosecution.

Dyantyi confirmed a while ago that the use of R3 000 from the mayoral fund to settle bail for one of Prince's confidants is also being investigated by his department and the SIU.

Tshose said on Tuesday that the minister requested the investigations be completed by the middle of December.

'Disgusting' behaviour

In the period under review, Price made a "plea agreement" with the council and admitted that his actions against young women, which were caught on television cameras, "could have compromised the image of the council".

His reappointment after the plea agreement was sharply criticised by a number of individuals and groups, including human rights groups and senior officials of the African National Congress (ANC). The party found him guilty in June of, among other things, bringing the ANC in disrepute through his actions.

The disciplinary committee found that Prince's behaviour towards female employees of a restaurant in Laingsburg was "particularly disgusting".

His membership of the ANC was not cancelled, but he was suspended for six months that will end in December this year. A decision was also taken that he would be kicked out of the party if he was found guilty of any conduct contrary to the ANC constitution within the next three years.

About six weeks ago, there were indications that some ANC leaders were demanding Prince's head and he was asked to step down as municipal manager. However, the ANC has not made any official announcement in this regard yet. Prince could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Source: News 24

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