Confusion was boss at the municipality on Friday, as workers protested outside the city hall after municipal manager Ntombi Baart returned to her post.
Confusion was boss at the municipality on Friday, as workers protested outside the city hall after municipal manager Ntombi Baart returned to her post.
Baart arrived for work at the City Hall on Friday morning and parked her Mercedes C180 Kompressor in her usual parking bay on High Street. The word quickly spread among municipal workers, who gathered on High Street and began singing and toyi-toyiing.
They were outraged that Baart had returned to work – apparently without accounting to Council for alleged misdemeanours.
But if they were confused, it turned out Baart was even more so, as Mayor Zamuxolo Peter explained to Grocott's Mail after a lengthy meeting with her that morning.
Peter said Baart had thought her seven days of special leave were over. Peter said this was because the letter addressed to Baart putting her on special leave had not specified that weekends were not included in the seven days. Baart was put on the seven days' special leave after the 30-day investigation period had passed.
During a Council meeting earlier this year, Baart was requested to write a report on why she should not be suspended. Friday, Peter said, had been her last day to submit the report.
I don't want to say she has not brought the report to the council because the day is not over yet. Her report will be discussed in the council meeting on Monday [yesterday]and the council will take a decision after that, Peter said.
The protest fizzled out after Baart was seen leaving the municipality and word trickled through that she wasn't back after all.
Grocott's Mail was barred from the Council meeting yesterday, where Baart's status was to be discussed. Council Speaker Rachel Madinda told reporters that the item was confidential and only Council members were allowed at the meeting.
But by the time of going to press the secret meeting was still in progress at the city hall and no information was available. Councillor Les Reynolds of DA questioned the issue of having too many confidential things at the municipality and said transparency was needed.
