Zingile Dingani, the Secretary to Parliament, and chief financial officer Leslie Mondo have gone on “special leave” after an investigation into the R186 000 salary advance used to build a wall at Dingani’s private home.
National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu and National Council of Provinces chairman Johannes Mahlangu had decided to grant Dingani and Mondo leave effective from Tuesday, Parliament said in a statement.
The Deputy Secretary to Parliament, Michael Coetzee, has been appointed to act as the secretary until further notice.
Last week the auditor-general decided to investigate the salary advance.
It is said the wall was built after “security breaches” at Dingani’s Panorama property, Parliament’s spokesman Luzuko Jacobs said previously.
Both the ANC and the DA demanded more information on why the advance was granted.
Jacobs said Parliament was developing a policy to deal with security measures at the homes of employees.
In a statement at the weekend, the presiding officers said they had noted reports of the advance with “serious concern”.
“The presiding officers have now taken a decision to refer the matter for investigation to the auditor-general.
“If it was determined that such an investigation was, for any reason, outside the auditor-general’s scope, the public protector will be requested to take the investigation up under the auspices of her office.“
The presiding officers would also report the matter to the parliamentary oversight authority at its next meeting.
Cape Argus