Knysna municipal manager’s appointment set aside
THE KNYSNA Municipality is expected to hold a special council meeting this week following a high court judgment ruling that the appointment of municipal manager Ombali Sebola was null and void.
Sebola was appointed to the position of municipal manager by council on January 23 last year.
His appointment was this week set aside by Western Cape High Court Judge Mas-Udah Pangarker, who also directed that the appointment be remitted back to council where it should start a fresh advertising process.
According to court documents, Sebola was shortlisted with two other candidates during the selection process, through which all candidates underwent an assessment and interview process conducted by Roy Steele and Associates.
The Steele report had assessed the shortlisted candidates on their knowledge and experience competencies through which the other candidates were ranked as “advanced” compared to Sebola, who was ranked as “needs development as per written assessment/minimum competency course completed”.
Pangarker said during the process of appointment, it was “riddled by one or more procedural flaws and that certain documents which were supposed to have been before council were not” prior to Sebola’s appointment.
According to the Steele report, the other two candidates featured as the most competent for the role of municipal manager.
Court documents read that Sebola fared the best in the interview itself but “for reasons unexplained, (Sebola) made constrictive progress in completion of the case assessment. Financial management skills will require further development … however, should the selection panel resolve to appoint Sebola on grounds of transformation and representivity, it is strongly recommended that a strong executive management team be appointed to support him and/or support in a form of a mentorship”.
In Sebola’s affidavit, he submitted that when he became aware that he was the only one who underwent a written assessment, he stopped and objected to this while the other two relied on previous assessments. Sebola submitted that the Steele report was “misleading” and did not disclose his objection and reasons for halting the written assessment arguing that it was materially flawed.
Knysna Municipality spokesperson, Nwabisa Pondoyi, said: “We cannot comment on these types of issues until the council has expressed itself. I suspect a special council meeting will be called for Monday. Only thereafter will we be able to comment.”
Enquiries to Sebola were not answered by deadline.
DA MP Dion George said: “The DA pursued legal action following Mr Sebola’s appointment due to his lack of proper qualifications and complete unsuitability for the role.
“His tenure as the municipal manager for Modimolle-Mokgophong resulted in the municipality’s bankruptcy, and he fled before facing legal consequences, only to resurface in Knysna.
“Sebola’s performance in Knysna has been blatantly inadequate, exacerbating crises in water supply, finances, refuse removal and sewage.”
He said the ANC/EFF/PA coalition should be held responsibility for Sebola’s appointment.
ANC regional spokesperson, Moyisi Magalela, said they were studying the judgment and that as the ANC they would abide by the court ruling.