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MBABANE MUNICIPAL CEO CONTRACT WONâ€™T BE RENEWED

By Sicelo Maziya | 2018-05-26

Almost eight years after his second coming, Municipality of Mbabane Councillors have decided against renewing Chief Executive Officer Gideon Mhlongo’s contract.

Council has decided to drop all the charges levelled against the embattled CEO but announced that whilst he returns to the hot seat, his contract will not be renewed when it lapses at the end of July.

Making the announcement was the Mayor Zephaniah Nkambule at a press conference held at Council Chambers in Mbabane.

He said Mhlongo will be back in office for the remaining two months and all disciplinary charges that were laid against him were all lifted.

Nkambule said after engaging Mhlongo it was felt that all the charges against him must be withdrawn.

The decision to suspend Mhlongo and charges were preferred by the Sikhatsi Dlamini led council at the end of last month.

Replaced

Dlamini was replaced within days after the lapse of his term by Nkambule, who is not new in the position.

In fact, Nkambule is the Mayor who engaged Mhlongo when he returned from RSSC in 2010 to assume the position he once occupied at the turn of the century.

The mayor said there is no bad blood between the council and Mhlongo.

The accusations, which led to the suspension emanated mainly from his contract, his earnings, tender awards as well as litany of other allegations.

Mhlongo had been CEO at the Council for many years, having taken over from the late Ray Sibandze.

At the height of Mhlongo’s stay at the Council, in 2002 a commission of inquiry was appointed by the then minister of Housing and Urban Government Stella Dlamini to investigate allegations of corruption at the council.

Influential Mbabane residents who made submissions included former outspoken Councillor Walter Bennett, former Minister John Carmichael and others.

Following the probe disciplinary proceedings were made against Mhlongo but he was dismissed in absentia because he had asked for a postponement but it was refused.

Mhlongo had challenged his removal at the Industrial Court in the year 2007/8. Since his departure from council, the office of the CEO has never known peace.

Mhlongo was succeeded by Felix Matsebula who had been promoted from Legal Advisor.

Matsebula’s stay was short lived as Council experienced a slump in growth during his term. Salaries could at times be delayed and the council was rendered broke.

Matsebula was removed also in 2008, after a commission of inquiry was appointed by former Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mabili Dlamini found a litany of irregularities there.

Bennett was also one of those who testified to the probe.

Matsebula was succeeded by Njabulo Dlamini, albeit on acting bases. Dlamini held fort until the recent development.

After announcing the non-renewal of the CEO’s contract the press asked the Mayor on the current status of the former Mayor Councillor Sikhatsi Dlamini.

Zephaniah said the issue of Councillor Sikhatsi is being handled by a competent committee and is not related to the contractual issues of the CEO and it doesn’t have any bearing to the announcement.

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