Ekurhuleni Dismisses Kemi Behari, Linda Gxasheka and Moloko Monyepao After Misconduct Findings

• The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has taken action against three senior officials following internal disciplinary proceedings
• The council held internal disciplinary hearings into the conduct of Kemi Behari, Linda Gxasheka and Moloko Monyepao
• Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza confirmed that the decisions taken formed part of the municipality's consequence management drive

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has dismissed three of its most senior officials after internal disciplinary processes found them guilty of misconduct.

Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza confirmed that the council terminated the employment of Kemi Behari, Head of Legal Services and Risk; Linda Gxasheka, Head of Human Resources; and Moloko Monyepao, Chief Information Officer.

All three had been placed on precautionary suspension before the hearings which led to their employment being terminated.

Read also

NDPP Andy Mothibi confirms criminal case against Fannie Masemola is under Review

Behari and Gxasheka's misconduct findings

Findings against Behari and Gxasheka centred on their alleged failure to act on recommendations from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and council resolutions calling for disciplinary action against suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.

Mkhwanazi was implicated in the so-called "blue lights" scandal, which involved irregular arrangements that reportedly gave private vehicles linked to businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala unauthorised access to police blue lights.

The disciplinary process also examined salary increases of approximately 28% granted to both officials. These increases were implemented without council approval and generated estimated additional payments of about R2.66 million between the two over several financial years. Monyepao linked to R2 billion revenue losses

Monyepao's dismissal followed findings of serious mismanagement within the city's information and communications technology environment. Investigators linked him to widespread failures in the municipality's billing systems, particularly the SOLAR platform, which experienced account manipulation, inaccurate billing, and interim meter reading irregularities.

Read also

ANCWL to question Limpopo Premier Ramathuba over Ben 10 remarks about women leaders

The dysfunction within these systems contributed to an estimated R2 billion in revenue losses, partly attributed to cyberattacks and related vulnerabilities affecting thousands of resident accounts. Monyepao had previously mounted several unsuccessful legal challenges attempting to halt the disciplinary proceedings against him.

Source: Briefly News