- The Mossel Bay Municipality has decided to institute disciplinary proceedings against its municipal manager, Thys Giliomee.
- The executive mayor tabled an investigation report into alleged sexual misconduct and it was adopted during a full special council meeting.
- Giliomee declined to comment.
The Mossel Bay Municipality's municipal manager, Thys Giliomee, has seven days to provide written reason why he should not be suspended amid an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.
Giliomee has been on special leave since April, pending the investigation.
The executive mayor, Harry Levendal, tabled the report last Thursday during a special council meeting and it was accepted by the full council.
The council resolved that in terms of the investigation report, a prima facie case of serious misconduct, in the form of sexual assessment, had been established.
The council also decided to institute disciplinary proceedings against Giliomee due to the alleged misconduct being deemed serious.
In a statement, the municipality said the council intended to suspend him, pending the finalisation of the outcome of the disciplinary matter.
"The municipal manager has seven days in terms of which to provide written representation to the council on why he should not be suspended.
"The disciplinary hearing must commence within three months of the council decision and the presiding officer will advise the council in writing of the finding and sanction in terms of the regulations. The municipal manager will remain on special leave, pending the outcome of council's decision concerning his suspension."
It added the executive manager for community safety, Colin Puren, would act as the municipal manager.
The ANC's head of the Mossel Bay constituency office Cameron Dugmore, said he believed the suspension had been kept secret.
"This is a big blow for the self-proclaimed guardian of liberal values, the DA, shortly before the upcoming local government elections that pretends the DA runs a superior, clean administration with Mossel Bay as its flagship of how a municipality should serve its residents.
"Giliomee gets a few days to make representation why he should not be dismissed for serious misconduct, namely sexual harassment," he added.
Giliomee was approached for comment by News24 but he did not want to comment on his suspension or whether he will be making representations within seven days.