Johannesburg - The Limpopo government continues to spend millions of taxpayer rand on the salaries of high-ranking officials on suspension with full pay, despite an apparent lack of evidence against them.
Taxpayers have shelled out at least R15 million in just under two years on the salaries of the director-general in the premier’s office, Rachel Molepo-Modipa, and four heads of department (HODs).
The HODs are Madidimalo Chaamano (public works), Basani Baloyi (sports, arts and culture), Morebudi Thamaga (education) and Nnana Manamela (co-operative governance). The four were suspended, along with Molepo-Modipa, on charges of maladministration and misconduct, among other alleged transgressions.
The R15m bill to taxpayers was calculated on the basis of the directors-general’s R1.5m annual salary and the HODs’ R1.3m yearly salaries, and because they have been on suspension for periods ranging from 15 to 18 months.
The R15m amount could be more, as several general managers, directors and senior executives, whose salaries range between R800 000 and R1.1m, were also suspended before they were either redeployed or fired.
Molepo-Modipa was dismissed on Wednesday, after The Star made enquiries about the prolonged suspensions.
The sanctions against Molepo-Modipa and HODs started in October 2013, soon after Stan Mathabatha was appointed premier after Cassel Mathale’s exit.
Now, the suspended officials are fighting back, calling the sanctions a political witch-hunt. They allege Mathabatha trumped up vague charges against them.
In April, the premier an-nounced the lifting of suspensions against Molepo-Modipa and three of the HODs, but they refused to return to work as they had been redeployed to positions they deemed to be demotions.
“I told them I would take my (old) position or nothing because I didn’t ask them to suspend me,” said one suspended official.
“They are setting us for failure while at the same time demoting us. The (notice of) intention to suspend me was vague. All it stated was ‘you have put the department in disrepute’.
“For me, it’s a political issue. If you say you stand for anti-corruption and clean governance, unfair labour practice is the first indication you want to put in your own people in order to connive and corrupt the state. This was a way of appointing their cronies.”
His sentiments were echoed by another senior official. “All the problems started with Mathabatha. The charges were vague, which shows this is a political witch-hunt. If someone just had the courage to say ‘you are not part of my team’. They should stop lying, saying we are associated with corruption and the collapse of governance.”
Another senior official described the sanctions as house arrest. “I can’t be on suspension forever on taxpayers’ money.
“What is irritating is that the premier went on air, damaging our reputation with serious allegations.
“There is a tendency in this country that when a new administration comes in, people are purged, irrespective of abilities.”
Provincial spokesman Phuti Seloba denied the sanctions were politically motivated.
“We have waived our rights to deploy them, but they have not reported for duty,” he said, quoting a clause from the Public Service Act which outlines a provincial government’s right to transfer officials to other duties.
Asked why the hearings were taking so long, he said: “You can’t prove wrongdoing if there hasn’t been a hearing. They are expected to understand the process. You need to understand this province has been under administration.”
The Star