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Council Has to Appoint Municipal Manager in Ekurhuleni

The Ekurhuleni Metro has been plunged into an administrative crisis following the arrest of the Municipal Manager, Kagiso Lerutla, on 20 April 2026. Mr. Lerutla faces serious charges of alleged fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. In response, Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, attempted to unilaterally suspend Mr Lerutla and appoint Dr Tsholofelo Koopedi (previously […]

The post No unilateral appointments: Council has to appoint municipal manager in Ekurhuleni appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.

The Ekurhuleni Metro has been plunged into an administrative crisis following the arrest of the Municipal Manager, Kagiso Lerutla, on 20 April 2026. Mr. Lerutla faces serious charges of alleged fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

In response, Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, attempted to unilaterally suspend Mr Lerutla and appoint Dr Tsholofelo Koopedi (previously the head of Strategy and Corporate Planning) as acting Municipal Manager.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, only the full Municipal Council has the exclusive authority to appoint an acting municipal manager. This cannot be circumvented through a system of delegations or mayoral decisions.

While the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) recognises that replacing Lerutla is a necessary step in the right direction, the correct legal procedures must be followed.

The Mayor’s appointment of Dr Koopedi is, therefore, legally vulnerable in the absence of a formal council resolution.

Appointing an acting manager is crucial for restoring the Metro’s functioning and establishing a fresh administrative approach, but any deviation from the prescribed legal process could jeopardise the validity of future decisions and contracts.

The Freedom Front Plus insists that this matter be referred to the Council immediately for a proper and lawful decision to be taken.

The Freedom Front Plus was opposed to Lerutla’s appointment as Municipal Manager from the outset. The party’s disapproval stemmed from his previous role as Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO) of the Metro and the concerns regarding his suitability as a manager that arose during that time.

This unlawful step confirms that key positions within the Ekurhuleni administration are not always filled by persons who are above suspicion of irregularities.

The Freedom Front Plus will keep a close eye on the matter.

The party remains fully committed to ensuring accountability for the looting of public funds and getting the Metro back on the right track of integrity.

Freedom Front Plus Disaster Management: The party advocates for effective disaster management strategies.

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