The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) voted against the appointment of Kagiso Lerutla as the new City Manager of the Ekurhuleni Metro on Thursday (yesterday), seeing as critical information is lacking and there are several concerns about the process that was followed.
The item tabled to the Council had no supporting documentation — no preliminary list, shortlist or competency assessment results.
Councillors were expected to make one of the most important administrative decisions based on a single sentence with no background information.
The Freedom Front Plus believes that a responsible councillor cannot endorse such an appointment without prior access to comprehensive documentation. Transparency and proper procedure are essential to instil trust in senior appointments.
The candidate’s suitability is another cause for concern. Until his appointment yesterday, Lerutla had been serving as the Group Head of Finance, and during his tenure, the Metro’s financial situation deteriorated significantly.
In the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, Ekurhuleni had outstanding debt of R32,9 billion, of which R4,6 billion was more than 90 days overdue. The collection rate dropped to 78,74%, well below the 90% target.
Overtime expenditure climbed to R215 million; and major payments to service providers such as Eskom (R5,3 billion), Rand Water (R706 million) and the Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) (R1 million) are still outstanding.
These figures point to severe fiscal pressure, and the Freedom Front Plus believes that leadership appointments should be based on merit, performance and accountability.
The party is disappointed that, with the support of ActionSA and other parties, the ANC/EFF coalition approved the appointment without adequate public accountability.
The Freedom Front Plus reiterates its commitment to ensuring good governance, and will continue to press for leadership that is competent, transparent and capable of restoring stability.
Residents do not deserve political compromises, but competent governance to lead the Metro out of its current crisis.
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