Freedom Park Heritage CEO Jane Mufamadi has been suspended and forced out by the securuty. Independent Newspapers: Oupa Mokoena/ANA
Image: IOL
Freedom Park Heritage CEO Dr. Jane Mufamadi has been suspended by the organisation’s Council.
Security had to escort her out of the facilities on Wednesday after allegations of corruption and nepotism rocked the institution.
Staffers at the country’s flagship sites confirmed that Mufamadi was suspended after she failed to convince the board why she should not be suspended following allegations that she had captured the institution where her close family relatives and friends are alleged to be employed.
According to a Senior staff member at Freedom Park, Mufamadi has been in both public media and Parliament news for nefarious reasons that tend to compromise and dilute the magnitude and significance of the entity.
“A statement regarding the matter will be issued later this afternoon. But we can confirm that she has been sadly suspended so that the institution can do its work while the relevant authorities investigate the matter because the country cannot afford to have this important institution collapse,” she said.
Mufamadi did not respond to questions from IOL; her cell phone was also off.
In a letter dated July 10, 2024, addressed to Sports & Culture Minister Gayton Mckenzie and seen by IOL, staffers at the organisation accused Mufumadi of “preying on taxpayers'" funds.
“Under Dr. Jane Mufamadi, Freedom Park has been turned into a sectarian organisation that, in addition to this horrendous action, has been embroiled in corruption of high proportions and maladministration. As the concerned staff of Freedom Park, we tabulate below a litany of examples of gross maladministration and corrupt activities under Dr. Jane Mufamadi,” read the letter.
The employees accused Mufamadi of initiating an email only for Venda-speaking staff members, adding that she led a Venda-speaking staffer in writing a letter to Parliament to report on the organisation's work without the knowledge of other staff members and the Human Resources Department.
They told the ministry that among other allegations, she allegedly bought herself a Mercedes Benz using public funds.
“Awarding and influencing a security tender through which her friends and family benefited.
“Interference on the interview process of storytellers and cleaners with a clear motive to appoint Venda-speaking people. A storyteller was not appointed for being gay, while the cleaner was not appointed for being lesbian. We want the Ministry to help probe this matter further.”
They also alleged that Mufamadi was conducting “rampant suspensions and expulsions” of staff who were not Venda-speaking and accused her of only appointing service providers from Venda.
“Appointment of Venda companies as service providers to Freedom Park. About ninety percent (90%) of companies that got tenders from Freedom Park are owned by Venda people and failed to recover some of R350 000 from a company that Venda owns.
The staffers went on to ask for an investigation into the expulsion of the Head of the Department, Dr Otsile Ntsoane, for allegedly attending the funeral of the late Commissar Mbulelo Musi in 2023. They added that in the disciplinary hearing, the presiding officers were both Venda people who were reportedly paid “scaringly exorbitant amounts” to execute the cruel action against Ntsoane.
They also alleged that a branch union leader, Jabulani Phelago, was suspended for writing a letter to the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Arts and Culture, which raised some concerns about the entity.
IOL