Strategist wins battle against metro

THE Port Elizabeth Labour Court has ordered the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to reinstate the former political strategist in the deputy mayor's office, Nobuntu Makapela, after she was shoved off to another department and given no real work to do while taking home R92000 a month.

Yesterday's judgment finally brings to an end a battle between Makapela and the metro which started in April last year when deputy mayor Chippa Ngcolomba removed her from his office and instructed the corporate services department to find her another job.

However, the ruling places the municipality in a difficult position as Ngcolomba has already hired a new political strategist, Oscar Mgwanza, to replace her.

Makapela was appointed as the strategic manager in the office of then deputy mayor Nancy Sihlwayi, but after Sihlwayi was redeployed by the ANC, Makapela was fired by the institution.

She took the municipality to arbitration, complaining she was unfairly dismissed, and won her case. - Rochelle de Kock