GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Questions are being raised about the qualifications and suitability of Delphine Thorne (previously Sauls) for the position of Acting Chief Financial Officer within Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality.
As reported last month, during November last year CFO Heleen Kok was quietly replaced by Thorne, with no explanation from the municipality.
Attempts by the Advertiser to get information from the then acting spokesperson for the municipality proved fruitless, as have similar requests to Acting Media Liaison Officer Edwardine Abader.
According to documents in possession of the Advertiser, in the draft minutes of a placement committee meeting for the finance department from April 2019, Sauls (as she was then) was being considered for the position of Revenue and Credit Control Manager.
The chairperson of the meeting, CFO Heleen Kok, explained that Sauls had been appointed as CFO in the former Ikwezi Local Municipality, but was suspended pending an investigation. Sauls filed a case for unfair suspension, and an out of court settlement was agreed upon, stipulating that Sauls would be appointed as Revenue and Credit Control Manager in the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality.
However, during the meeting, Thobela Javu from SALGA advised the committee that "Sauls does not meet the requirements as per job profiling and 2007 qualifications regulations." The committee recommended that the decision be put to one side for further discussion.
The position of Revenue and Credit Control Manager is junior to the that of Chief Financial Officer.
The question that begs to be answered is: "If Sauls does not meet the requirements for the position of a manager, how can she act as CFO?"
The problems in the former Ikwezi arose as the result of a high court case in May 2017, which cost that municipality more than R1,3 million. Sauls, as CFO of Ikwezi, initiated two contracts with MD Business Solutions in 2014, signed by herself and Misiwe Mpahlwa, the acting municipal manager.
Ikwezi acknowledged its indebtedness to MD Business Solutions, but claimed that the contracts were invalid as a result of the complete absence of compliance with the law regulating public procurement.
The judgement was that MD Business Solutions was entitled to the amounts claimed, totalling R1 332 262,19, as well as to interest on those amounts, and costs.
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