Under-fire Tshwane municipality CFO Gareth Mnisi will know his fate at Thursday’s council meeting as his request for leave has been rejected.
Tshwane executive mayor Nasiphi Moya is expected to table a report before council after Mnisi requested special leave to deal with allegations that emerged at the Madlanga commission last week.
Sunday Times has reliably learnt that Mnisi requested special leave from city manager Johann Mettler, who declined the request as Mnisi was appointed by council.
The request for leave came after it emerged from the commission that controversial witness Sgt Fannie Mnisi was in regular contact with Nkosi, where Tshwane tenders were discussed.
Evidence presented showed that Mnisi may have shared sensitive tender information via WhatsApp with Nkosi, a police officer allegedly connected to tender cartels.
Three Tshwane insiders confirmed this to the Sunday Times, while Mettler declined to comment on Wednesday.
Kindly note that a media briefing is scheduled for Thursday March 26, at which a range of matters will be addressed, including those relating to the CFO
— Samkelo Mgobozi, Tshwane mayoral spokesperson
Mnisi requested the special leave, citing his wish to not bring the city into disrepute while addressing the allegations levelled against him.
“The city manager could not accept his [Mnisi’s] leave request as the CFO is appointed by council, so council has to make a decision on that,” an insider said.
On Thursday morning, ahead of the council meeting, Moya and deputy mayor Eugene Modise are expected to announce that she will table a report on Mnisi for council discussion and resolution.
Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi declined to confirm if Mnisi was at work this week.
He also declined to respond to questions on any possible sanction being considered against Mnisi following Nkosi’s testimony last week.
“Kindly note that a media briefing is scheduled for Thursday March 26, at which a range of matters will be addressed, including those relating to the CFO,” Mgobozi said.
Moya is expected to table a report in council about Mnisi’s request for special leave, which council is expected to deliberate on before taking a resolution.
Mnisi, who previously told the Sunday Times that he denied any impropriety, could not be reached for comment.
The rot starts at the top with the city manager … The city manager was the choice of the DA and other section 56 managers in Tshwane
— Joel Masilela, ANC Tshwane spokesperson
Tshwane’s two leading parties, the DA and the ANC, were baying for blood.
ANC Tshwane spokesperson Joel Masilela said though they were calling for action against Mnisi, they did not want him to become “the only sacrificial lamb”.
The ANC in Tshwane had already been gunning for Mnisi for delaying the tabling of the city’s financial statements.
“The rot starts at the top with the city manager … The city manager was the choice of the DA and other section 56 managers in Tshwane,” Masilela said.
He accused the DA of acting like they were “distinctively able” to advise the Madlanga commission in its work despite having run the city when it allegedly fell into deeper malfeasance.
DA’s Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said: “Gareth Mnisi must be summoned to testify under oath so that the full truth can be established.
“At the same time, the city council must be formally notified of the allegations against Mnisi,” Brink said.
He called for a “full investigation into the security tender, its extension and any political interference”.
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