DURBAN - THE eThekwini Municipality has fired its Parks and Recreation head, Thembinkosi Ngcobo.
Ngcobo’s dismissal was confirmed by both himself and municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela on Monday.
Ngcobo said he was first informed by a journalist who wanted comment from him and then enquired with his personal assistant, who told him that she received a letter with a 52-page bargaining council report with an arbitration award.
“Yes I have been fired, but I can’t say more because I have just taken the letter with the report to my lawyers. They will study it and advise me accordingly,” said Ngcobo.
Mayisela told the Daily News it was true that the municipality has parted ways with Ngcobo after he was found guilty of misconduct. The matter was heard in the SA Local Bargaining Council in April and May.
He said Ngcobo was being investigated for failing to report corrupt transactions allegedly made by the staff in his department.
The 52-page report, which the Daily News has seen, says that one of Ngcobo’s staff made a payment of R140 000 to a certain individual who had not done any work for the municipality for a beach festival event in 2015.
The money was supposed to have been for the provision of a sound system, marquee and other services related to the event, but instead of paying the correct service provider the employee under Ngcobo’s department called this individual and asked him to submit his invoice, and she eventually paid the money.
According to charges preferred by the municipality to Ngcobo, the person who was paid wrongly did inform him about the payment, but Ngcobo did not report it to the municipality or municipality’s Integrity and Investigation Unit.
Ngcobo has been the head of Parks and Recreation since 1999.
Daily News