Lobamba– Parliament has called for a deeper investigation into the suspension of an employee at the Mbabane Municipal Council, with legislators warning that they cannot adopt reports while there are unresolved concerns surrounding the local authority.
During the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development first quarter performance report in Tuesday, Hhohho Regional MP Tanele Magagula raised concerns, questioning whether proper procedures were followed when the council suspended its Information and Public Relations Officer, Lucky Tsabedze.
Magagula urged the Portfolio Committee responsible for local government matters to investigate the circumstances surrounding the suspension before Parliament adopts any report involving the municipality.
“Before we adopt the report, the Portfolio Committee should investigate first what is happening at the Mbabane Municipal Council. We want to know what is really happening. We cannot allow reports to pass when there is dirty laundry underneath,” Magagula said.
She said Parliament had a responsibility to scrutinise issues affecting public institutions instead of simply accepting reports without interrogating underlying problems.
“When issues arise, we should dig. We should understand what happened to the suspended employee of the Mbabane Municipal Council, and whether the rules were followed or not?” she questioned.
Magagula questioned whether the council had complied with its own disciplinary procedures, referring to Clause 3.3A of the Mbabane Municipal Council’s Disciplinary Action Policy of 1997.
She argued that disciplinary action must be preceded by proper investigations and preparation of statements outlining alleged misconduct before any formal action is taken.
“Is there any report with the minister showing the allegations? Does the municipal council have a legal adviser? Labour laws do not allow suspending employees without following procedures,” she said.
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered around the suspension of Tsabedze, which has sparked public debate after questions emerged over the reasons behind the disciplinary action.
However, the Mbabane Municipal Council has maintained that the suspension was part of an internal disciplinary process and not linked to issues circulating on social media.
During a media briefing last week Mbabane Mayor Thulani Mkhonto dismissed reports suggesting that Tsabedze’s suspension was related to photographs posted on the council’s social media platforms, saying the matter was strictly a labour issue.
Mkhonto said the disciplinary proceedings had nothing to do with the quality of photographs or public relations work.
“The Information and Public Relations Officer is currently on suspension pending the conclusion of an internal disciplinary process relating to alleged performance-related misconduct,” the council stated.
The municipality further said allegations and purported charges circulating on social media did not accurately represent the disciplinary proceedings before the council.
It also rejected claims that the CEO Gciniwe Fakudze had mistreated employees or used abusive language in the workplace, describing such allegations as “unfounded, false and malicious.”
The council said it remained committed to maintaining a professional and respectful working environment, adding that all workplace complaints would be addressed in accordance with labour laws and its human resources policies.
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