Axed Buffalo City Metro municipal manager Andile Fani has vowed to go after city officials in a bid to clear his name following a scathing ruling by the SCA. A Daily Dispatch report says Fani was suspended and subsequently fired by the metro after it accused him of flouting the Municipal Finance Management Act by appointing Cape Town-based Asla Construction (Pty) Ltd without following proper procurement procedures.

The 2014 contract was for the construction of low-cost housing in Reeston for the benefit of Duncan Village shack dwellers at a cost of R74m. The contract was set aside by the Eastern Cape High Court (Grahamstown) in August last year when it ruled the deal was invalid and unlawful. Asla then appealed.

SCA Judge Kevin Swain found on Friday the High Court had erred in its ruling and set it aside.

He said High Court Judge Elna Revelas had failed to properly consider the nature and extent of the prejudice to be suffered by the shack dwellers of Duncan Village and broader public interest by setting aside the contract. He added the High Court ‘based its findings on evidence that was largely inadmissible’.

Swain ordered that Asla’s appeal was successful and that BCM pay the cost of two counsels appointed by Asla.

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Asla Construction (Pty) Ltd v Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality