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Cogi Pather
The head of eThekwini’s housing unit, Cogi Pather, leaves the post soon, but will still have to answer to allegations levelled against him in a damning report on the municipality released earlier this year.
City manager S’bu Sithole confirmed this week that the municipality had accepted Pather’s resignation, but added that this would not prevent him from following up on issues raised by forensic auditors Manase and Associates in its report on the city’s finances. The Manase investigation looked into R532 million in irregular expenditure highlighted by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe for the municipal year to June 2010, of which R428m related to the housing unit. It followed an investigation by auditors Ngubane and Co, which made similar findings in 2010.
The Manase investigation zoomed in on contracts from the city’s housing department where irregular expenditure was incurred. These included:
l The Burbreeze housing project near Tongaat, where costs escalated to R57m from R18m, the contractor appointed was not registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council, and poor workmanship was identified on the project.
l The Hammond’s Farm development outside Verulam, where the cost escalated from an estimated R68m to R351m, and poor workmanship was identified, resulting in 22 units being demolished.
l The Westrich housing rehabilitation programme in Newlands West, where three contracts worth about R25m were awarded under section 36, although no explanation was given for the use of section 36, and the contractors were given letters of appointment before they had submitted tender documents and other forms.
Mayor James Nxumalo said last month that the officials implicated in the report regarding the housing projects included Pather, and that they would be charged with misconduct.
According to Sithole, Pather had said he had been contemplating resigning for more than two years.
“He cited that he’s got better offers elsewhere… In respect of the allegations against him, I must weigh options and at the same time I cannot keep someone against their will.”
Sithole said the city would discuss in “due course” how Pather’s post would be advertised, but did not say when Pather would clear his desk.
He said someone could be appointed to the position in an acting capacity.
Pather could not be reached for comment.
