PE+housing+manager+suspended+for+protest+participation,+Sapa

Sapa, Johannesburg, 12 April 2007
=PE housing manager suspended for “participating” on protests=

A Nelson Mandela Bay municipality housing project manager, who is also a senior SA Communist Party member, has been suspended for his participation in the recent housing protests by Walmer residents.

The Herald online reported on Thursday that Melekile Hani, a housing project manager in Walmer, was told by his manager that he had been suspended.

"My manager told me about the suspension but I have not yet received a suspension letter because I am on sick leave."

Although the municipality was evasive on the matter, senior officials confirmed on Wednesday that Hani had been written a suspension letter.

Hani said he told the residents at a meeting that there was no more land in Walmer to resettle them as the council had sold all the land.

"I am a housing project manager in Walmer, so I cannot lie to the people. The council prioritised golf at the expense of residents."

Hani was referring to the selling of two erven to the Walmer Country Club last year when people needed land for housing development.

"It is part of my duties to consult with the community and in the process I told the community what the council did not want," he said.

Hani, one of eight people arrested in February when Walmer residents burnt down their councillor‘s office, said he was prepared "to fight" for justice.

Municipal spokesman Roland Williams said: "It is not proper and fair practice for us to divulge internal human resources matters to the media, until such time that HR processes have been properly finalised".

Hani said he would contest the suspension, adding that there was a purge on communists within the municipality.

He said the ANC was against communists in the institution and decisions were taken at Standad House, the ANC headquarters, and sent for implementation at City Hall.

"This is all political. If the ANC loses debate on the ground, it uses government machinery to get rid of communists in the municipality," said Hani.

=By e-mail=

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