Parties in walk-out over municipal pay

2012-11-28 11:31

(File, Supplied)

Bloemfontein - A lack of detail about the new contract of Sol Plaatje municipal manager Goolam Akharwaray resulted in opposition parties walking out of a Kimberley council meeting, the Volksblad newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The report said the Democratic Alliance and the African Christian Democratic Party walked out of the meeting, which approved the contract.

The newspaper said Akharwaray would get R1.7m a year with performance bonuses, which could be up to 14%, as well as an annual increase linked to inflation.

DA caucus leader Willem Doman said it was unlawful to keep the contract a secret.

“It happened with the previous contract as well. We never could get it from the mayor,” the report quoted Doman.

ACDP councillor Rooies Strauss said the council needed to decide Akhatwaray’s performance bonus next year but they did not have a contract to see what goals he needs to achieve.

“I do not like walking out of meetings but somehow one must show your dissatisfaction,” he told the newspaper.

Doman said executive mayor Agnes Ntlangula eventually indicated that the city manager’s contract would be put up on the municipality’s website.

She told the newspaper the contract was not signed yet and would be open to the public later.

Ntlangula also indicated that the contract had been composed in line with the municipal acts.

Akharwaray’s performance would be evaluated by officials and directors.

“He would not just get bonuses. He would have to work for it,” Ntlangula told the newspaper.

- SAPA