{
  "id": 11435314,
  "title": "‘Pay back the money’: DA says Mashazi must be held accountable for irregular hiring practices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/pay-back-the-money-da-says-mashazi-must-be-held-accountable-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T11:48:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/pay-back-the-money-da-says-mashazi-must-be-held-accountable-for-irregular-hiring-practices/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Democratic Alliance (DA) is urging former City Manager of Ekurhuleni, Imogen Mashazi, to return the money that the municipality spent on a senior official who was appointed irregularly. The Public Protector (PP) concluded that Mashazi's actions violated the municipality's human resources (HR) policies. She faces accusations of misconduct for appointing Ndumiso Gcwabe, who was not qualified for the role of deputy metro police chief, security and loss control. Gcwabe began earning over R1 million per year in 2022, despite not meeting the minimum requirements for the position. Even though Mashazi is no longer employed by the City of Ekurhuleni, DA mayoral candidate Khthutshelo Rasilingwane insists she should be held accountable for the wrongful appointment. \"Mashazi must repay the salary that was paid to the official during the period he occupied the position to which he was unlawfully appointed,\" Rasilingwane stated. The DA's mayoral candidate criticized Mashazi as the head of corruption scandals in the City of Ekurhuleni, emphasizing that the municipality's appointment framework mandates qualifications, competencies, and prescribed requirements. Rasilingwane called for an administration where qualifications matter, rules are followed, and public officials are held responsible for their decisions, adding that a DA government would clean up the office. Concerns about ethics in public service have also been raised by former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who asserts that officials should be more accountable and that morality and ethics should play a significant role in public service.",
  "summary": "The DA says Mashazi should be held accountable for the decisions she made as City Manager in the City of Ekurhuleni.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}