Samwu looses battle

The decision regarding the appointment of the Mogalakwena municipal manager (MM) was made last week in the Johannesburg Labour Court's North Gauteng Court where the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in Limpopo has lost the case.
This came after SAMWU, under leadership of Limpopo secretary Simon Matsobane Mathe, made an application in the North Gauteng High Court to interdict the municipality from
retaining Willy Kekana as the MM.
The resolution of appointing departmental managers was taken at a Municipal Special Council meeting held on 21 July. Kekana
retained the position after he managed the municipality successfully since his appointment in 2009 where it won Unqualified Audit Opinions in three consecutive years.
In a press statement, the Mogalakwena Municipality said that the municipal employees were surprised at Mathe’s decision to challenge Kekana’s appointment. “The only conclusion we can reach is that provincial government is using him to achieve what they failed to achieve in the North Gauteng Court.”
The press release stated that SAMWU in Mogalakwena will be opening a case of fraud against Mathe since he used municipal official’s names in court without consultation.
“We want to make it clear that the trade union is not divided as Mathe mentioned on Monday and the councilors who resolved on appointing Kekana and other managers are still legitimate councilors.”