Bitou disciplinary hearings start

21 August 2006

The disciplinary hearings of former Bitou mayor Euan Wildeman and suspended municipal manager George Seitisho are to start in Plettenberg Bay today, according to the Bitou municipality.

The hearings follow an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit, which recommended criminal and disciplinary action against the two men.

The SIU reported that in the 18 months to August 2004, Seitisho used an official credit card to spend over R170,000 in municipal funds for private purposes, and that he and Wildeman failed to rectify overpayments of R14,229 each for a trip to Europe.

Wildeman, a member of the African National Congress, was mayor until the March 1 local government polls, and is now a member of the council's executive committee.

In a statement issued through a public relations company yesterday, acting municipal manager Thomas Nqolo said the municipality would try to make the disciplinary process "as transparent as possible" to cater for the huge public interest in the cases.

"We want to assure members of the public that these hearings will be conducted in an objective and responsible manner," he said.

He said the hearings would be presided over by senior members of the South African Local Government Association, an "independent and apolitical" body that, he said, was both reputable and recognised nationally.

The prosecutor in the matters was likewise a reputable attorney with no vested interest in the outcome of this case.

"No one from within the Bitou municipality will be participating in the proceedings," he said.

"We hope that this matter will be dealt with quickly, efficiently and objectively and that we can finally lay this issue to rest." The results of the hearings would be made public.

A request by the Western Cape's local government and housing department to attend the hearings had been denied as disciplinary proceedings were closed to all but the accused employee, his or her representative, the chairperson and prosecution.

Seitisho, who has been suspended from his post, was awarded a R120,000 performance bonus by the municipality in June.

The payment, in respect of the 2005/06 financial year, was decided on before that year had drawn to a close, a procedure which, according to provincial Local Government MEC Richard Dyantyi, is irregular.

The commercial branch of the SA Police Service is pursuing a fraud investigation against Seitisho.

Sapa

Source: Sunday Times

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