- The decision to suspend the municipal manager was taken during a special council sitting on Friday.
- It follows serious misconduct allegations against Thys Giliomee.
- Earlier this month, the municipality said it intends to institute disciplinary proceedings.
The Mossel Bay municipality has suspended its municipal manager, Thys Giliomee, with full pay.
The decision was made during a special council sitting on Friday following its previous decision to institute disciplinary proceedings against Giliomee.
In a statement, the municipality said further information would be available once the disciplinary proceedings had been completed, and as soon as the council had received the outcome from the presiding officer.
"Giliomee shall be suspended with full payment, per prescribed legislation, until the finding and sanction from the presiding officer in the matter are communicated to the municipality after completion of the disciplinary proceedings."
The municipality said the disciplinary hearing has to commence within three months of the council's decision.
Terms
The presiding officer will advise the council in writing of the finding and sanction in terms of the regulations.
It is alleged that Giliomee sexually harassed a junior employee. The council had previously decided to place Giliomee on special leave following the allegations.
It said the executive manager for community safety, Colin Puren, would act as municipal manager in the interim.
The ANC's Mossel Bay constituency head, Cameron Dugmore, said there was massive secrecy surrounding Giliomee's suspension.
"His suspension was kept secret and only revealed at a special council meeting on Thursday. 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 superior, clean administration, with Mossel Bay as its flagship of how a municipality should serve its residents," Dugmore said.
Giliomee was approached for comment, but declined.