MPs have grilled Buffalo City Metro officials over the city’s incapacitated CFO Ntsikelelo Sigcau, who was involved in a car crash in 2022.
The high-powered metro delegation, led by mayor Princess Faku, appeared before MPs in a joint meeting by parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) and portfolio committee on co-operative governance on Wednesday.
Among those forming part of the city’s delegation were city manager Mxolisi Yawa, acting CFO Siyabulela Peter, COO Vincent Pillay, legal head advocate Mlamli Zenzile, BCMDA CEO Ayanda Gqoboka, mayoral committee members Yomelela Tyali and Sakhumzi Caga, and water and sanitation acting head of department Mkhuseli Nongogo.
The delegation insisted the metro is following procedure regarding Sigcau’s situation.
The metro admitted the CFO’s position has attracted negative attention amid ongoing assessments into Sigcau’s fitness to return to work and full resumption of his duties.
City manager Mxolisi Yawa said according to legal advice, if an employee got involved in an accident in the course of duty, the municipality is obliged to wait for about 24 or 25 months for recovery before deciding on their return to work.
“When the 24 months expired, the municipality started engaging with the CFO about his plan to return to work’,” Yawa said.
“While we were engaging with him, the municipality had medical reports, including the physiotherapist’s report, which indicated that the municipality could slowly integrate the CFO back to work.”
Yawa said Sigcau indicated a willingness to return to work, but wanted to work from home, which was not feasible for a CFO role.
The municipality initiated a capacity inquiry to assess Sigcau’s fitness after the engagement between Sigcau and the metro continued.
“So, the advice we got was that the only way to resolve this is through a capacity inquiry, putting in independent people to assess the CFO.
“When that process started, the CFO and the municipality appointed lawyers.”
One requirement was that they wanted a fresh physiotherapist report commissioned.
They agreed the municipality would commission the report.
“The report was commissioned and, through the capacity inquiry, the municipality appointed an independent chairperson to handle the incapacity inquiry,” Yawa said.
“When the report was received, it was shared with all parties.
“The CFO wanted to commission his own report.”
The metro also sought advice and lawyers indicated that this could cause a significant delay.
However, they advised the city to allow the CFO’s request.
“But we indicated very clearly that this has attracted negative criticism of the municipality; we would want it resolved as quickly as possible,” Sigcau said.
“But the set down date is indicated as March 24 and 25 which we hope the matter by then will be resolved.
“So, it was not a question of the CFO writing to the municipality and saying, ‘I’m ready to come to work’.
“It was conditional and the condition was that, ‘I want to come back to work, but I want to work from home.’”
Faku said Sigcau was unable to be in the office from 8am.
She described the situation as very “sensitive”.
“The labour processes must unfold and give him the necessary respect he deserves and we’ve been following that process,” Faku said.
“We believe in the meeting of [later in] March that the matter should be concluded.
“The report was submitted to the council by the city manager.
“The assessment was done by the city which he was not happy with and decided to bring his own people to assess him and that process was allowed by the accounting officer.
“So, there are not many [CFOs], there is only one person, Mr Siyabulela Peter, who is acting.”
Daily Dispatch
