Cape Town - One of Parliament’s most-senior public servants, who misled his bosses into giving him a salary advance of R186 000 for the construction of a wall at his home, is one step closer to being fired.
On Thursday, the Office of the ANC Chief Whip said it welcomed the conclusion of Parliament’s disciplinary process against the Secretary of Parliament, Zingile Dingani.
“The auditor-general earlier this year recommended that Parliament institute disciplinary processes against Dingani and chief finance officer Leslie Mondo for their involvement in the approval of the R186 000 to build a security wall at the home of Dingani.
Mondo was recently dismissed after being found guilty on a number of charges,” said the chief whip’s office.
Parliament’s disciplinary committee chairperson recommended to the presiding officers on Thursday that Dingani be dismissed with immediate effect for misleading the executive authority of Parliament into endorsing his memorandum for a salary advance of R186 000 for the construction of wall at his residence.
“Contrary to what was claimed by Dingani, Parliament has no policy for granting salary advances to its staff, even under exceptional cases.
“The presiding officers will apply their minds on the recommendation of the chairperson of the disciplinary committee, before tabling their recommendation to the sitting of the National Assembly on August 11, 2012.
“The House, which is responsible for the appointment of the secretary of parliament, will then make a decision in this regard.”
The Weekend Argus reported tlast month that Mondo was fired with immediate effect over his role in the granting of the R186 000 salary advance.
Dingani has been at the centre of a storm over the R186 000 advance from parliamentary funds in December last year for a security wall around his home.
At the time he said the presiding officers - Speaker Max Sisulu and National Council of Provinces chairman Mninwa Mahlangu - had approved the advance, and a R10 000-a-month repayment plan.
Without providing details, Parliament said Mondo had been found guilty on four of the five counts of misconduct related to financial matters.
“The outcome has been communicated to Mondo and his representative. The proceedings were concluded on August 14 and the chairperson of the hearing made findings and a recommendation on August 20.
“No further internal process will be entered into,” Parliament said at the time.
Both Mondo and Dingani were put on special leave at the end of March, when Parliament decided to involve the auditor-general to determine whether a case was to be made.
The recommendation was that disciplinary steps should be taken against Mondo for issuing instructions to the finance department and approving the repayments without authority - against Parliament’s policy of discouraging salary advances.
Cape Argus