Return of Bitou municipal manager who left with R4m settlement is above board, says DA

Mbulelo Memani is back at the Bitou Municipality as acting municipal manager months after he left with a mutual termination settlement of more than R4-million following allegations of misconduct.

In late August, the DA regained control of the municipality and within days, Memani had returned. Bitou, a Western Cape municipality, comprises Plettenberg Bay and villages including Nature’s Valley, Covie and Harkerville.

In April, Memani left via a mutual agreement with the previous governing coalition after allegations of wrongdoing were levelled against him.

The DA is challenging his settlement agreement in court, claiming it was unprocedural.

The municipality’s communications manager, Andile Namntu, told Daily Maverick on behalf of the DA mayor, Jessica Kamkam: “Bitou council is confident that the correct processes were followed, and that proper due diligence was done in the appointment of Mr Memani as acting municipal manager.

“The appointment was made in line with relevant legislation governing the appointment of senior managers in the special council meeting held on Friday 30 August 2024.”

However, this has been disputed by a councillor with whom Memani clashed.

While Memani did not respond directly to queries posed to him, his lawyers have indicated via court papers that they are still waiting for documented evidence of wrongdoing against him.

On 27 August, a DA-led coalition took control of Bitou, with Kamkam elected as mayor.

Read more: Jessica Kamkam – Bitou’s third mayor this year hopes to restore dignity to the people

Memani’s history 

Memani was first appointed in Bitou as a senior manager for budget and treasury between 2012 and 2016. According to the Knysna-Plett Herald, the municipality received a clean audit in the 2013/2014 financial year.

He then moved to the Knysna Municipality as its chief financial officer. While there, he had to explain why R11-million was spent on water meters in November 2022 without authorisation.

Susan Campbell, the former chairperson of the Knysna Ratepayers’ Association and a councillor for the Knysna Independent Movement, said Memani resigned before a misconduct investigation and disciplinary processes against him were concluded.

Read more: Former Knysna CFO Mbulelo Memani bags new Bitou job despite incomplete disciplinary hearing and trail of complaints

Memani returns to Bitou 

On 4 April 2022, Memani returned to the Bitou Municipality on a five-year contract. Bitou was then governed by a coalition of the DA, the Plett Democratic Congress (PDC) and the Active United Front (AUF).

In February, the PDC left the coalition, saying there had been a breakdown in its relationship between PDC ward councillor Claude Terblanche (who was the council Speaker) and Memani.

Read more: Another DA council under threat as Plettenberg Bay’s Bitou faces three motions of no confidence

Terblanche then took over as mayor in a coalition comprising the PDC, Ikhwezi Political Movement, ANC and Patriotic Alliance.

At a special council meeting on 21 February, the council was informed that Terblanche had written a report implicating Memani in misconduct and he was suspended after the council approved this, by seven votes to six.

In July, unconfirmed reports emerged of a settlement between Memani and the municipality.

Terblanche said: “During the suspension, it was brought to council’s attention that parties reached out to each other to engage on a settlement. This was then pursued with the acting municipal manager at the time and the legal manager. The matter was finalised and brought back to council for approval.”

‘Mistrust and fear’ 

Allegations against Memani included:

• He created a “demoralised administration” characterised by mistrust, fear, backstabbing and “a general lack of motivation and innovation”.


• He “unfairly charged staff members with trumped-up and unsubstantiated allegations without any attempt to fairly consider the responses provided prior to proceeding with disciplinary action against them”.


• He increased a senior manager’s annual leave days from 14 days to 36 days without the requisite approval of the council.


• He appointed a person to the municipal audit committee, which, according to the Municipal Finance Management Act, is a council responsibility.


• He removed clauses in his employment contract which made provision for his termination in the case of financial impropriety.


• He appointed a senior manager without a resolution of the council.


• He unlawfully terminated an employee’s contract based on “political determinations”.

The allegations against Memani were made public via the DA’s court papers asking the Western Cape High Court to set aside his settlement.

In an affidavit, DA Federal Council Chair Helen Zille said, “The DA believes that the total amount (which also includes the payment of legal fees directly to his attorney) exceeds R4-million.”

Memani’s legal representatives wrote to Dr Ralph Links, the acting municipal manager, dismissing the municipality’s claim that it had a “compelling case” against Memani.

In its court challenge, the DA said Memani’s settlement was irregular.

The DA wants the settlement set aside and the money repaid. This, according to court papers, would mean Memani would resume his position as municipal manager, albeit he would be suspended. The council would be further obliged to conclude disciplinary hearings against Memani.

The DA’s Bitou constituency chair, Cathy Labuschagne, said the municipality had not rehired Memani as his settlement was unprocedural, so, in effect, he never left.

Meanwhile, the Knysna-Plett Herald reported that Felix Lötter had returned to the Bitou Municipality as acting CFO and advocate Luvuyo Loliwe had been appointed as the municipality’s corporate services director. DM