Joburg City manager to be charged for failing to appear before Commission investigating deaths of initiates

The municipal manager of the City of Joburg faces a fine‚ or even prison‚ for failing to appear before the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL).

Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni was summoned to appear before the commission to outline the City’s plans and interventions in dealing with the deaths of initiates in the Gauteng province.

The CRL Commission is currently conducting investigations into the deaths of initiates around the country.

Lukhwareni did not appear‚ but instead sent Peter Manganye to represent him.

CRL Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told Manganye that the summons issued to Lukhwareni was not transferable to another member of staff.

“The municipal manager was served and he signed for summons. The summons is not transferable.

“We are to left with no option but to lay a charge against the City Manager because he is in violation of Section 41 of the CRL Act‚” said Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.

Section 41 says a person commits an offence if‚ “that person after having been summoned… fails to be present at a meeting of the commission or an investigating committee at the time and place specified in the summons”.

If found guilty‚ Lukhwareni will face being slapped with a fine or imprisoned for one year. — TMG Digital