'DA wants to sack all black directors'
29 July 2010, 12:13
By Babalo Ndenze
Metro Writer
The City of Cape Town has decided against renewing the contract of one of its longest serving executive directors, Bulumko Msengana, a move that has been decried as purging senior officials appointed when the ANC was in power.
Instead, he has been offered a part-time contract, renewed on a "month-to-month" basis.
Utility services executive director Msengana was part of then mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo's Ikhwezi team of top managers of the city.
During a closed, confidential council meeting on Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance majority voted against the renewal of Msengana's contract, which ends on October 30.
A councillor who attended the meeting, who asked not to be named because the meeting was closed, said Msengana was being pushed out for political reasons. "The DA pushed him out with their majority. He asked for an extension until after the local government elections next year. They tried to do the same thing to Community Services executive director Lokiwe Mtwazi (another ANC-appointed official). .. How does someone live on a month-to-month contract?"
He said Msengana was a top-performing executive director who got the city a number of Blue Drop Status awards for its good quality water.
"They (DA) couldn't give an explanation. It's this racism in the DA. They want to sack all black directors," he said.
babalo.ndenze@inl.co.za
Metro Writer
The City of Cape Town has decided against renewing the contract of one of its longest serving executive directors, Bulumko Msengana, a move that has been decried as purging senior officials appointed when the ANC was in power.
Instead, he has been offered a part-time contract, renewed on a "month-to-month" basis.
Utility services executive director Msengana was part of then mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo's Ikhwezi team of top managers of the city.
During a closed, confidential council meeting on Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance majority voted against the renewal of Msengana's contract, which ends on October 30.
A councillor who attended the meeting, who asked not to be named because the meeting was closed, said Msengana was being pushed out for political reasons. "The DA pushed him out with their majority. He asked for an extension until after the local government elections next year. They tried to do the same thing to Community Services executive director Lokiwe Mtwazi (another ANC-appointed official). .. How does someone live on a month-to-month contract?"
He said Msengana was a top-performing executive director who got the city a number of Blue Drop Status awards for its good quality water.
"They (DA) couldn't give an explanation. It's this racism in the DA. They want to sack all black directors," he said.
babalo.ndenze@inl.co.za
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Cape Times on July 29, 2010
Cape Town
