Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Dr Dovhani Mamphiswana, the director-general of the Public Service Commission on precautionary suspension.
This was announced by the Presidency in a statement on Wednesday night.
Acting spokesperson for the Presidency, Tyrone Seale, said Ramaphosa had informed Mamphiswana of his suspension last Thursday.
“The president informed the director-general on Thursday, August 6, that the suspension, with full pay, takes effect immediately.
“The president’s suspension of the director-general does not in any way constitute a judgment on the part of the president,” said Seale.
In July, Independent Media reported that a 37-page report into allegations that Mamphiswana orchestrated the hiring of his mistress recommended that he and the mistress should be charged with fraud and corruption, among other charges.
The report was compiled by Advocate Smanga Sethene on the instruction of the State attorney in Pretoria. During the investigation, friends of the mistress alleged one of the baby showers was held within PSC offices.
The instruction to probe the allegations came in January this year, after the Sunday Independent reported that Mamphiswana allegedly chaired a panel which recommended the appointment of the mother of his child as a chief director for professional ethics.
Sethene later noted that the report by the investigative Sunday newspaper was based on truths.
Seale said Mamphiswana was a precautionary suspension in terms of the Disciplinary Code and Procedures for Members of the Senior Management Services (SMS) contained in Chapter 7 of the SMS Handbook for the public service.
Seale said a report on the investigation was presented to the president in his capacity as the executive authority designated by law to deal with career incidents, including disciplinary matters, pertaining to Directors-General.
“The report submitted to the president has recommended that the president institute formal disciplinary action against Dr Mamphiswana.
“The president subsequently advised the director-general of his intention to place him on precautionary suspension.
“Following written representations by Dr Mamphiswana, the president decided to proceed with the precautionary suspension,” said Seale.
IOL