Durban - OPPOSITION parties are questioning Premier Sihle Zikalala’s decision to extend Social Development head of department Nokuthula Khanyile’s contract despite the Hawks investigating her for tender fraud.
Khanyile’s contract was extended from November 1 to February 2020.
It is alleged that Khanyile had received kickbacks on various tenders, and that an insider had brought the matter to the attention of the Hawks.
Independent Media reported last month that Khanyile was under investigation by the Hawks for alleged corruption and victimisation of staff, among other allegations.
Khanyile’s troubles reportedly started when officials reported her to the Hawks with the allegations.
In a letter from the staff to the head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, the department head was reportedly accused of “kleptocracy, self-enrichment, misleading performance management information, flawed SCM (supply chain management) processes and intimidation of service providers and officials”.
She was also accused of gross insubordination and refusal to take instructions from the executive authority.
Other allegations against her are soliciting money for self-benefit; security and cleaning companies contracted to the department pay a monthly amount to sustain her private security and school fees for her child; channelling departmental resources for the benefit of political parties for electioneering purposes; and instructing NPOs to deliver food parcels on opposition parties’ political terrains.
“This led to victimisation of those NPOs that did not want to comply with such instructions,” the aggrieved staff member said in the detailed letter.
Hawks KZN spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said the Hawks received a report detailing the allegations and confirmed they were investigating these allegations.
Elma Rabe, DA spokesperson for social development, said she had written to Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza seeking an explanation for Khanyile’s contract extension.
“This contract was extended after the Hawks have started their investigation. I’d think that they’d suspend her pending the investigation.
“The department had commissioned an investigation and recommendations were made. Some of the recommendations had pointed to certain individuals against whom action had to be taken. We don’t know what became of the recommendations,” Rabe said.
The IFP said it had drafted more than 24 questions about corruption in the department and little was done to deal with the issues.
“The elephant in the room is the premier (Sihle Zikalala). For some weird reason it would seem that he is shielding the HOD. If he is not capable of dealing with corruption in the department he should allow others to do it for him,” the party said.
Bongani Tembe, the premier’s spokesperson, said the contract was extended before a petition was sent to the Hawks to investigate her.
Khanyile declined to comment.