Implicated directors ‘unscathed’

THE BRANCH leaders of the Public Servants Association (PSA) and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) are aggrieved that deadlines have been missed in instituting disciplinary action against three chief directors at the Northern Cape Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

The officials were the subject of an investigation by the provincial investigating task team that was set up by the Premier’s Office to probe allegations of corruption, maladministration and financial misconduct.

The unions indicated that no steps had been taken against the implicated officials, while shop stewards were being intimidated and victimised.

A report that was released in May/June 2023 advised that the chief financial officer (CFO), A Coleridge, the chief director for corporate services, Bonakele Jacobs, and the chief director for special programmes, David Mdutyana, at the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture should be transferred and face disciplinary action.

According to the findings, criminal charges must be lodged with the Hawks and funds must be recouped for the R1.6 million payment made to Traffic Events Management Company to organise the Umsobomvu youth tourism and cultural festival in Norvalspont in December 2016 that never took place.

One of the items on the timeline that was set for June 30 was that the task team should investigate the possibility of instituting disciplinary action against an official for the “destruction of information”, where a legal opinion was to be obtained from the Office of the Premier over the alleged irregular appointment of the director of sports and recreation.

The Public Service Commission found that allegations of maladministration, nepotism and favouritism were substantiated in the appointment .

The report indicated that the chief director for corporate services and the CFO should be subjected to disciplinary procedures within the next 30 days to explain their roles as panellists during the recruitment of the director of sport and recreation.

PSA shop steward Francois Clark believed that the department was dragging its feet and ignoring the findings of Chapter 9 institutions including the Public Service Commission, the Public Protector and the Premier’s Office.

“The allegations involve the abuse of the public purse, while whistle-blowers are being victimised and are forced to work in a toxic environment.”

Nehawu branch secretary Moses Vorster questioned how long it would take to act against fruitless, irregular and wasteful expenditure.

“There appears to be a lack of political will to implement the recommendations of the report, while the implicated officials are being protected. The architects of the crime are not being held accountable for their actions because any form of prosecution is taking place at a snail’s pace. If there is no movement, we may have to look at further industrial action.”

Northern Cape Department of Sports, Arts and Culture spokesperson Morapedi Sekhoane indicated that the appointed implementation task team was “progressively dealing” with all allegations and recommendations as previously reported.

Office of the Premier spokesperson Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams stated that they were continuously engaging the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture on this matter.

“We are awaiting the report from the implementation task team at the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture; this will guide the next course of action.”