CONCERNED residents of Tzaneen in Limpopo have called for an investigation into the municipality's decision to appoint a gardener as library assistant.

CONCERNED residents of Tzaneen in Limpopo have called for an investigation into the municipality's decision to appoint a gardener as library assistant.

The residents claim the gardener was appointed at the Haenertzburg library though she does not have a matric certificate.

The gardener, whose name is known to Sowetan, reportedly attended interviews but did not qualify for the position.

But, the chief librarian of Haenertzburg, Mienie deVilliers, allegedly recommended that she be appointed.

De Villiers reportedly said that the woman was a reliable gardener and that she had been assisting her in the library by doing miscellaneous duties.

In the process De Villiers also referred the list of two candidates, who came first and second during interviews, to municipal manager Mabakane Mangena and allegedly begged him to appoint the woman because she was "honest".

But the other interviewee who came first in the interviews and has a diploma in library science from the University of South Africa, was told she was unsuccessful.

A well-placed source in the municipality said the appointment of the gardener had raised a lot of concerns among other librarians in the Tzaneen main office and in other outlying offices across the municipality.

"We would like an explanation as to why the municipality had overlooked qualified candidates and appointed a mere gardener."

It is understood that when the chief librarian at Haenertsburg was on leave the gardener-turned-library assistant closed the library and turned people away because she wasincompetent and could not cope.

The minimum requirement for the position, which was advertised earlier last month, was matric and a tertiary qualification in library science.

Mabakane Mangena, the municipal manager, would neither deny nor acknowledge that the appointment was made. He promised to investigate the matter.