By Celani Sikhakhane
- Fanle Sibisi is still taking a salary from Richmond municipality after ANC appointment.
- Angry locals say it’s unfair for the poor town to pay someone with another full-time job.
The ANC’s new KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson is facing backlash for taking home two salaries, one from the ANC and one from a poor rural municipality.
Fanle Sibisi was appointed as the ANC KZN spokesperson in February after a leadership shake-up announced by Secretary General Fikile Mbalula.
But despite the full-time ANC role, Sibisi has not resigned from his old job as director of community services at Richmond local municipality and is still getting paid.
Insiders told Scrolla.Africa that Sibisi is getting two full salaries while Richmond struggles financially.
“It’s a shame that a poor municipality like ours is paying someone who is fully employed somewhere else. This is a disgrace,” said a source close to the council.
Sibisi, who now regularly appears alongside ANC heavyweights Jeff Radebe and Mike Mabuyakhulu, dodged Scrolla.Africa’s questions about the double salary scandal.
Instead of responding, he asked: “Oh okay. You work for Scrolla.Africa? Where do you stay? Look, I will come back to you.”
He never did.
Municipal manager Bhekani Mswane washed his hands of the issue, saying it’s out of his control.
“His contract is with the council, not me. The council only meets once a month and will discuss the matter at the next meeting on the last Thursday of this month,” he said.
Richmond municipality has a long and violent political history. It was once the centre of deadly conflict between the ANC and the UDM under the late Sifiso Nkabinde.
Now it faces a new kind of crisis – paying top salaries to officials who are no longer doing the job.
Pictured above: ANC KZN spokesperson Fanle Sibisi with Mike Mabuyakhulu. Sibisi is said to be refusing to resign from his municipal post.
Image source: Celani Sikhakhane
