Pretoria - Chief executive officer of the South African Weather Service Dr Linda Makuleni has been fired, leaving behind allegations of corruption and an ongoing investigation into her conduct.
The head of the country’s foremost weather forecast and climate organisation has been at the centre of controversy since 2009. This was when the public protector and auditors were called in to investigate multiple tenders suspected to have been awarded without following proper procedures.
But matters came to a head last week when she was told to go home, five months before the end of her contract.
Department of Environmental Affairs spokesman Albie Modise promised to give more clarity on the matter on Wednesday, but had not done so by late Wednesday.
However, those close to the matter told the Pretoria News the board decided that Makuleni was a threat to the ongoing investigation and feared she may influence the process. The investigation stemmed from complaints by employees of the state entity, regarding a string of alleged corrupt dealings, interference in procurement processes and endorsement of irregular financial processes by Makuleni.
A fresh wave of allegations erupted last year when the organisation’s funds were used to buy the chief executive officer a designer handbag, according to insiders.
An unauthorised R5 000 from the weather office’s coffers had allegedly been used to buy her a congratulatory gift when she passed her MBA. When the expenditure was flagged as irregular, Makuleni apparently dismissed it as nothing to worry about.
And that was not the first time she allegedly allowed the flawed use of finances, the Pretoria News was told; she was previously accused of giving a huge contract to a group of friends without the requisite experience. The contract to develop a website was given to people who had participated in the formulation of guidelines to be used when engaging partners on the tender. They formed a website developing company after that and got the deal.
The group knew the exact requirements of the tender and had personal links with her, but when concerns were raised by staff, Makuleni brushed them off, they claimed.
She allegedly refused to discuss the share of revenue from the marketing and services provided by the company, saying they deserved the 70% they were paid.
Workers at the weather service said the ongoing investigation by the public protector was the second in four years. A 2012 probe produced a preliminary report recommending that she be charged and investigated, but nothing came of it, they said.
She was fully involved in all aspects of the investigation, providing information when she wanted to and getting others to withhold it when she so wished, charged the insiders. Staff also cited the case of a human resources general manager who was brought in by Makuleni, but ran a recruitment agency from within the institution. This was cronyism, they said, as jobs were advertised through the company and fees paid to the agency. The manager was fired when an audit uncovered what was going on.
Among her earliest claimed transgressions, Makuleni reportedly racked up a cellphone bill of almost R20 000 in one month in 2008. An audit picked up the irregularity, but nothing was done to discipline her.
Her alleged flouting of procedure also included authorising funds to transport staff to a party at her East London home and over-paying companies for services rendered.
The cohort of scientists employed at the entity said Makuleni had become an embarrassment to them.
“No organisation wants to be viewed as being led by corrupt leaders, and while we seem aloof, we do care about our public image,” a weather forecaster said.
She said the board had long ignored complaints against Makuleni. “But it was getting to a stage where they would have to answer to a tough audience. They did the right thing by giving her the boot,” the weatherwoman said.
General manager, commercial, Mmapula Kgari, has been appointed as interim chief executive officer.
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Pretoria News