The Madibeng municipality last week appointed a new acting municipal manager and it seems unhappy councillors accused the Madibeng mayor and the North West MEC for cooperative government and traditional affairs (COGTA) of being in cahoots.

The department reacted sternly this week after a newspaper reported that James Mashigo was illegally appointed by the MEC and mayor Douglas Maimane,
Citizen reported that councillors are up in arms as the newly appointed acting municipal manager, James Mashigo, was appointed by North West MEC Nono Maloyi in conjunction with mayor Douglas Maimane and started work without a council resolution. According to the report Mashigo was “previously an administrator at the controversy plagued Ditsobotla municipality.”
North West COGTA responded by saying the news report is misleading.
“The department wishes to set the record straight that, when the contract of the then acting municipal manager came to an end, council wrote to the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, requesting for the secondment of a person to act as a municipal manager until the recruitment process of a municipal manager, is finalised. MEC Nono Maloyi in response to the request, has since seconded the Chief Director from the department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr James Mashigo in terms of the Municipal Staff Regulation of 2001. The secondment is effective from January 2023 until a period which must be agreed upon by the department and the municipality. The article is misleading as it seeks to create an impression that the MEC acted on his own accord, which is not the case,” said spokesperson for the department Dineo Thapelo.
“It is also not true that Mr James Mashigo is the previous Administrator of Ditsobotla. Contrary to the article, Mr Mashigo was assigned by the MEC to preside over its inaugural council meeting of Ditsobotla in terms of section 154 of Constitution.”