Gugu Mbonambi
SENIOR eThekwini municipality official Jacquie Subban has written a scathing letter to the city’s public accounts committee, saying it had trampled all over her rights and treated her like a criminal.
Last year, the committee recommended that Subban, the head of the geographic information and policy unit, be suspended and called for a full-scale forensic investigation into her unit.
But the councillors on the public accounts committee, an independent body set up in 2010 to scrutinise municipal spending, came under heavy pressure to withdraw their call for her suspension.
Subban was not present at the meeting where the decision to call for her suspension was made, and had learnt of the committee’s recommendations through the media.
Details of that recommendation were not discussed, but it is understood that the matter is linked to her department’s dealings with IT company Adapt-IT, which was contracted by the municipality to develop its website for the World Cup.
In a four-page letter, Subban described herself as a committed servant of the municipality. She said she did not know why her rights had been ignored while the media were being entertained.
“I would never, ever interfere with any investigation or audit… and there is certainly no reason to think I would or to suspend me, and so cause fruitless expenditure in the form of remuneration to a city servant (me) who is not doing her job because she is suspended,” her letter reads.
Subban said she wanted the committee to hear her case and apologise for the harm already done to her.
“I have given up a lot to perform as I have at the city, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to transformation,” she said.
Subban said the committee should provide her with information on what it was that she had done and would cover up if there was an investigation.
She wanted to know what information had been placed before the committee, “so that I can understand what was said… that it warranted informing the media that I am a fraudster who will interfere with an investigation”.
Once she knew what the allegations were, she would address the committee.
The letter was circulated to all members of the committee.
The committee’s deputy chairwoman, Nompumelelo Chamane, said the matter had been referred to the full council and was now being handled by municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole, who could not be reached.
