Hawks probe KZN social development head for corruption

File picture: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News Agency (ANA).

File picture: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News Agency (ANA).

Published Oct 31, 2019

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Durban - Nokuthula Khanyile of the Department of Social Development, is under investigation by the Hawks for alleged corruption and victimisation of staff, among other allegations. 

Khanyile is one of the longest serving head of departments in the KZN provincial government

Khanyile’s troubles started when officials reported her to the Hawks and the elite investigation unit later kicked off an investigation against her. 

In a letter from the staff to the head of the Hawks in KZN, Brigadier Kgodi Kgamane and which was leaked to Independent Media, the HoD is accused of “kleptocracy, self-enrichment, misleading performance management information, flawed SCM (supply chain management) processes and intimidation of services providers and officials.”

She is also accused of gross insubordination and refusal to take instructions from the executive authority - signalling that Khanyile is not getting along with the department’s MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, who took office in May from Weziwe Thusi. 

“This is viewed as a step in the right direction that we seek to investigate the trepidations as outlined below: Soliciting Money for self-benefit (HoD). Security and cleaning companies contracted to the department pay a certain monthly amount to sustain the HoDs private security and school fees for her child. Channelling departmental resources for the benefit of political parties for electioneering purposes, instructing NPOs to deliver food parcels on opposition political terrains. This leads to victimisation of those NPOs that did not want to comply with such instructions,” the aggrieved staff said in the detailed letter.

In the same letter, they dragged University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), one of the prestigious universities in the country, and alleged that it unduly benefited from Khanyile’s alleged corrupt activities. 

“Matter regarding the improper appointment of the University of KwaZulu-Natal requesting the university to submit some proposals for analysing 10 000 household profile forms and produce a report (whereas there are internal systems to can deliver on this) (sic). Proper procurement procedures were not followed in appointing the University of KwaZulu-Natal to do the aforementioned exercise. An amount of (R)1.4 million was paid during the financial year 18/19 to the university without any delivery of what was intended with regards to the exercise or services required,” further reads part of the letter sent to the Hawks. 

Spokesperson for Hawks KZN Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo confirmed they are looking at the allegations against Khanyile as outlined in the letter. 

“We can confirm that Hawks members from Durban Serious Corruption Investigation is investigating the matter and feedback will be relayed to the complainant,” Mhlongo said briefly in a written response on Thursday.

The department’s spokesperson, Mhlaba Memela, did not respond to questions sent to him on Wednesday about the matter.

University of KwaZulu-Natal Executive Director of corporate relations Ashton Bodrick has responded to the allegations.

''The KZN Department of Social Development (DSD) approached the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to request a proposal for a required service and subsequently entered into a contractual agreement earlier this year.  

UKZN, through the Discipline of Social Work, was contracted to conduct an analysis of 10 000 Household Profile forms for the DSD’s War on Poverty Programme. The analysis was requested for the purpose of contributing to the DSD’s plans for relevant interventions. The contract involved the calibration of a poverty index. 

The project commenced on the 19th of February 2019 and was completed by the 31st of August 2019.The complete report was submitted to DSD on the 4th of October 2019.

A series of meetings were held between UKZN and the DSD to facilitate the realisation of the contractual intent. 

As with all research contracts, a vetting and approval process of each contract is conducted by the University’s administrative structures.'' 

Political Bureau

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