DA cautiously welcomes the removal of the HOD for Environmental Resource and Waste Management Services
by Cllr Tiaan Kotzé — DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Deputy Chairperson & Spokesperson on Environmental Resource & Waste Management Services
Date: 22 June 2023
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni welcomes the removal of the Head of Department (HOD) for Environmental Resource and Waste Management Services, Ms. Faith Wotshela following the progress report on the DA initiated Disciplinary Hearing. The progress report served in the February council meeting, but various steps had to follow after the tabling of the report.
A letter was sent to the office of the MEC of COGTA informing them of the outcomes of the hearing and the accused party had a period to lodge an appeal to the outcomes. With the approval of the advertisement to fill the HOD position, the DA asked the new executive in council if these processes have been concluded, however, these were not adequately answered.
The suspension of Ms. Wotshela is a long-standing matter that the DA has been fighting for over 5 years. The HOD was appointed in the City under a dark cloud following her departure from the City of Tshwane. Despite the concerns raised by the DA around her appointment, the ANC-led administration voted for her appointment with an overwhelming majority (the DA voted against this appointment). With the ever-deteriorating state of the Waste Management Department following her appointment, it was therefore incumbent on the DA to table a motion requesting an urgent debate in Council to institute a full investigation into the alleged misconduct and mismanagement of Ms. Wotshela. The motion was tabled on the 27th of February 2020, with the intent of having Ms. Wotshela investigated for non-performance and suspended from her post but was subsequently rejected under the protection of the then ANC MMC for Waste Management, Cllr. Khosi Mabaso.
At the time of the motion, the Waste Management Department was already in a state of collapse and was under full investigation by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for awarding a suspicious waste tender dating back to 2018 to a company registered as Enviro Mobi to the value of R27-million which resulted over 70 Tuk -Tuks to value of R7.8 million being dumped and abandoned in Kempton Park. In 2021 The Daily Maverick published an investigative report by amaBhungane titled: “Ekurhuleni: High hopes trashed as hundreds of millions promised to community contractors evaporate”. The report revealed how the mismanagement of the R1.2-billion waste mentorship project to upgrade small-scale community-based operators left contractors empty-handed after 5 years of participation. Also, under Ms. Wotshela’s belt, was the infamous car gate scandal which amounted to millions in wasteful and fruitless expenditure and saw the manipulation of a R320-million tender to maintain, service, and repair the city’s over 4,800 vehicles. The alleged manipulation of supply chain processes under this tender is the very reason why the Waste Management Department’s fleet was deliberately sabotaged and left to decay far beyond repair, leading to the waste crisis currently being experienced across the City.
It is for this reason that the DA Executive Mayor, Ald. Tania Campbell, on the 10th of November 2022, established a solid waste management task team to remedy the situation. The task team prioritized getting waste collection back on track by reducing bottlenecks in the system as made visible under the leadership of MMC Brandon Pretorius. The task team was also instructed to investigate the collapse of the department, which lead to Ms. Wotshela being placed on special leave until investigations yielded tangible outcomes and the department got the basics right in terms of service delivery.
We therefore eagerly await the applications to fill the vacant HOD position for the department to be led by an uncaptured and ethical professional to rebuild a culture of performance, professionalism, and work ethic among officials in the department, free from the grips of corruption and maladministration.
Media Enquiries
Cllr Tiaan Kotzé
DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Deputy Chairperson & Spokesperson on Environmental Resource & Waste Management
079 893 8404
