Cape Town - Parliament has refuted allegations that it had paid its embattled suspended secretary Gengezi Mgidlana and other senior officials performance bonuses.
Mgidlana was placed on precautionary leave in November after allegations were made by National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) that he had used R4 million on travel vouchers.
However, Parliament has denied the reports that Mgidlana was paid R56 000 performance bonus over the 2017/2018 financial year.
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said: “A conclusion that Secretary to Parliament Mr Gengezi Mgidlana, who has been on suspension while undergoing a disciplinary enquiry, was paid R56 000 bonus, alongside other Executive Managers, is grossly erroneous and an unfortunate misapprehension of the financial section of Parliament’s Annual Report”.
A report by the Daily Maverick noted that in the 2016/17 financial year Mgidlana received a R78 000 performance bonus, bringing his salary to R2.677-million.
Mothapo said Parliament has not paid anyone bonuses for the 2017/18 financial year and has also not done so for the past three years.
“The annual report reflects provisions, or projections, made for possible payment of bonuses subject to the outcomes of the annual performance assessments. This projection does not denote actual payments and this should be easy to comprehend by any vigilant reporter,” said Mothapo.
Parliament’s oversight committee on the financial management of the institution has been told that disciplinary proceedings against Mgidlana will now finally get underway.
DA MP Michael Waters said there were still not updated on Mgidlana's disciplinary hearing, and said the DA would raise the matter when Parliament work resumes.
Mgidlana, who was officially suspended in November 2017, has repeatedly denied the allegations against him and said he’s confident he will be cleared of any wrongdoing.