Suspended Greater Tzaneen municipal manager Serapelo Matlala is heading to the labour court for an urgent application to set aside his suspension.

Matlala was placed on precautionary suspension last week following his decision to terminate the services of Tshiamiso Trading after the cost of the tender for the Mulati Road upgrade and Codesa to Hani Street upgrade skyrocketed twice.

Matlala confirmed that he is challenging his suspension but refused to comment further on the matter.

In his affidavit, which Sowetan has seen, Matlala states that the application is brought on an urgent basis to set aside his suspension and allow him to resume his duties as the appointed municipal manager.

"I contend my suspension was unlawful for it is in breach of both my contract of employment and the relevant regulations applicable to precautionary suspension of municipal managers.

"Both my employment contract and the relevant regulations provide that a municipality may suspend its municipal manager where he or she is alleged to have committed a serious offence and the employer believes his or her presence at the workplace might jeopardise any investigation into the alleged misconduct or endanger the wellbeing or safety of any person or municipal property," Matlala said.

He added that in the present case, the municipality has not made any such allegation and has no ground for any such allegation.

"I have, throughout, acted in good faith and in the best interests of the municipality, to ensure its compliance with the law, and to protect it from incurring wasteful and unnecessary expenditure amounting to tens of millions of rands."

Municipal spokesperson Neville Ndlala said the municipality is aware of the application and will oppose it.

An official from Tshiamiso, who wished to remain anonymous, told Sowetan last week that they were challenging the termination of the contract in court.

An official close to the situation told Sowetan Matlala was pushed out by a senior official with links to business people.

"It is a known fact that he didn't do anything wrong. He was just trying to stop people from looting.

"He even called ANC Mark Shope acting regional secretary Peter Matlou and chairperson Pule Shai for political intervention but they couldn't do anything," said the official.

Last week Ndlala said: "In respect of the Codesa project, Tshiamiso tendered for R9,217,610.99 instead of R16,960,951.00 that Tshiamiso claims is the actual tendered amount.

"In respect of the Mulati project, Tshiamiso tendered for an amount of R26,824,512.88 instead of R57,509,148.80, which they are now claiming.

"The termination was also done for purposes of administrative compliance, which is a legal obligation."

Matlala was appointed in April 2018 and his contract is expected to end in 2022.