’TIS the season to be generous‚ and Ethekwini mayor Zandile Gumede gave 220 councillors a gift they will never forget: a framed photo of herself beaming‚ in mayoral regalia.
The councillors received the photograph in a package from the controversial mayor on Wednesday.
City manager Sbu Sithole was not so lucky – two days before the gifts were delivered‚ Gumede gave him his marching orders.
Sithole‚ who was appointed in 2011 on a five-year contract until the end of this month‚ received a letter from Gumede on Monday ordering him to vacate his office. The two had reportedly clashed.
Democratic Alliance councillor Christopher Pappas revealed his gift by posting a picture on Facebook.
“Today the Mayor gave us a Christmas gift pack. This is what was in the pack. Just what I always wanted‚ my very own Zandile Gumede framed picture‚” he commented.
However‚ while some people saw humour in the gift idea‚ others said it was akin to “ripping off the public purse”.
Kuben Naidoo posted on Facebook: “Waste of our money. They come and they go. They should reimburse us when they go and they can have their pics back.”
Another user posted: “Oh no man that’s not a cool gift … she should have taken all that money that it cost her and donated it to a children’s home to help feed the little ones.”
However‚ Vinesh Singh thought it would make a nice livingroom ornament: “Hope u found a nice place for it in your lounge lol.”
Tohira Rhoda thought people should return the favour: “You can hang it up in your new office. Send her a framed photo of yourself as you are a great example of how councillors should do their jobs.”
Ethekwini speaker Legoa Mapena‚ whose office issued the photos‚ said it was standard practice to have the picture of a mayor in all offices.
“When the new term began there were portraits of the old mayor and we wanted the portrait of the new one. But it’s up to each councillor to hang it or not. It was matter of replacing the old portraits as is the norm in all government departments‚” he said.
Veteran Inkatha Freedom Party councillor Mdu Nkosi said it was tradition for the mayor to treat all councillors with small gifts at the end of the year.
He said former mayor James Nxumalo also treated the councillors to gifts that often included tickets to uShaka Marine World‚ diaries and notepads.
Nkosi said his gift was left with his secretary and‚ apart from the mayor’s photo which he has not seen‚ there is a notepad with his name on it and uShaka Marine World tickets.
“I think there’s also a Christmas message‚” said Nkosi.
Asked what he was going to do with the photo‚ Nkosi burst out laughing and said he had not thought about it‚ but would probably keep it. – TMG Digital/The Times
Picture this: Ethekwini’s mayor is in a Christmas frame of mind
’TIS the season to be generous‚ and Ethekwini mayor Zandile Gumede gave 220 councillors a gift they will never forget: a framed photo of herself beaming‚ in mayoral regalia.
The councillors received the photograph in a package from the controversial mayor on Wednesday.
City manager Sbu Sithole was not so lucky – two days before the gifts were delivered‚ Gumede gave him his marching orders.
Sithole‚ who was appointed in 2011 on a five-year contract until the end of this month‚ received a letter from Gumede on Monday ordering him to vacate his office. The two had reportedly clashed.
Democratic Alliance councillor Christopher Pappas revealed his gift by posting a picture on Facebook.
“Today the Mayor gave us a Christmas gift pack. This is what was in the pack. Just what I always wanted‚ my very own Zandile Gumede framed picture‚” he commented.
However‚ while some people saw humour in the gift idea‚ others said it was akin to “ripping off the public purse”.
Kuben Naidoo posted on Facebook: “Waste of our money. They come and they go. They should reimburse us when they go and they can have their pics back.”
Another user posted: “Oh no man that’s not a cool gift … she should have taken all that money that it cost her and donated it to a children’s home to help feed the little ones.”
However‚ Vinesh Singh thought it would make a nice livingroom ornament: “Hope u found a nice place for it in your lounge lol.”
Tohira Rhoda thought people should return the favour: “You can hang it up in your new office. Send her a framed photo of yourself as you are a great example of how councillors should do their jobs.”
Ethekwini speaker Legoa Mapena‚ whose office issued the photos‚ said it was standard practice to have the picture of a mayor in all offices.
“When the new term began there were portraits of the old mayor and we wanted the portrait of the new one. But it’s up to each councillor to hang it or not. It was matter of replacing the old portraits as is the norm in all government departments‚” he said.
Veteran Inkatha Freedom Party councillor Mdu Nkosi said it was tradition for the mayor to treat all councillors with small gifts at the end of the year.
He said former mayor James Nxumalo also treated the councillors to gifts that often included tickets to uShaka Marine World‚ diaries and notepads.
Nkosi said his gift was left with his secretary and‚ apart from the mayor’s photo which he has not seen‚ there is a notepad with his name on it and uShaka Marine World tickets.
“I think there’s also a Christmas message‚” said Nkosi.
Asked what he was going to do with the photo‚ Nkosi burst out laughing and said he had not thought about it‚ but would probably keep it. – TMG Digital/The Times
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos