Africa-Press – South-Africa. Madibeng mayor Douglas Maimane is set to put the issue of municipal manager Quiet Kgatla’s appointment in the spotlight on Tuesday when he tables a report before council.
Kgatla was appointed as Madibeng municipal manager in December last year but has faced backlash from North West co-operative governance MEC Oageng Molapisi, who did not support his appointment.
Molapisi argued that the process of the appointment was unlawful and Kgatla was not qualified to be the municipal manager as he did not meet the minimum requirements for the position.
This led to Maimane issuing a statement accusing Molapisi of waiting nine months before responding to him regarding the appointment.
“The executive mayor submitted the appointment file to the MEC’s office on December 13 2024 for concurrence, and formally addressed correspondence to the MEC on September 3 2025. But we did not receive responses until September 4 2025,” the statement read.
According to Maimane’s statement, he had moved forward with the appointment without receiving the required concurrence from the MEC, as prescribed by section 54A of the municipal appointment processes, and he argued that he did not receive the letter of concurrence from Molapisi in July, but in September, and after enquiring about the concurrence.
Madibeng mayor Douglas Maimane is accused of nepotism.
Madibeng mayor Douglas Maimane is accused of nepotism. (Facebook/Facebook)
TimesLIVE Premium has seen the agenda for the meeting that includes a report on the process of Kgatla’s appointment and it is listed as a confidential item.
Save South Africa councillor Sydney Monnakgotla said the party will push for accountability, for council to reverse Kgatla’s appointment and for council to put Madibeng residents first while acting against those who fail to abide by the oath they took.
“We are going to give the speaker or the mayor a mandate that should Kgatla challenge the decision of the council, they can bring in lawyers,” Monnakgotla said.
Monnakgotla said the participation of Maimane and Jan van Rhyn, the DA caucus leader in the Madibeng local municipality, in the interview and appointment processes of the municipal manager position was against the regulation.
Monnakgotla urged that both the mayor and Van Rhyn be charged with misconduct and for misleading the council.
“We as Save South Africa will continue to push for the mayor’s removal from council, but his suspension while an investigation is underway would be an acceptable outcome” Monnakgotla said
Maimane faced allegations of nepotism in 2023 after the appointment of his daughter, Bonolo Nkutshweu, as an intern in the municipality’s treasury budget office.
Van Rhyn argued that Kgatla’s appointment process was followed according to the law and he met the requirements for the position.
“I don’t get why there are disputes regarding this appointment. However, I don’t know what to expect tomorrow as we have not received what will be on the agenda,” Van Rhyn said.
Madibeng mayoral spokesperson Thabo Skhosana said the council will deliberate what is on the agenda and a decision will be made after the meeting.
“The outcome of the appointment of Kgatla will reveal itself tomorrow after the meeting,” Skhosana said.
In April, a review found that Kgatla’s appointment was unlawful and did not follow proper procedure for municipal appointments.
The report found there were other candidates who were better qualified than Kgatla who were not shortlisted for the position.
The report further stated that though council had resolved to have five members on the interviewing panel, scoring was done by only two members, which was the mayor and Van Rhyn.
It also found that Kgatla, a qualified chartered accountant, did not have the prescribed qualifications as he did not have a bachelor’s degree in public administration or the equivalent.
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