A report into allegations of corruption, maladministration and financial misconduct against three senior managers at the Northern Cape Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, states that they must be disciplined and transferred.
A REPORT into allegations of corruption, maladministration and financial misconduct against three senior managers at the Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, states that they must be disciplined and transferred.
The investigation report recommended that the chief financial officer (CFO), A Coleridge, the chief director for corporate services, Bonakele Jacobs, and the chief director for special programmes, David Mdutyana, be subjected to disciplinary action for failing in their duties.
The report found that the three senior managers showed a “poor understanding of their responsibilities in good governance principles and prudent financial management”.
The report, which was commissioned by a task team established by the Office of the Premier, instructed that action be taken for their involvement in the appointment of the director of sport and recreation as well as the R1.6 million payment made to Traffic Events Management Company to organise the Umsombomvu youth tourism and cultural festival in Norvalspont in December 2016.
Despite the money being paid into the bank account of the event organiser by the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council (NCACC), the festival never took place and no steps were taken to recoup the funds.
The Public Protector received an anonymous complaint in 2020 and recommended that the matter be investigated by the Hawks.
It also insisted that steps be taken to recover the funds as well as report the fruitless and wasteful expenditure to Provincial Treasury.
The task team found that the CFO failed to advise the HOD on the submission for the processing of the R1.6 million to Traffic Events Management.
“The CFO was negligent in exercising his discretion with due diligence.”
The CFO is also expected to account for his role in compiling the memo to the HOD on December 13, 2016, requesting the chairperson of the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council to process the R1.6 million to Traffic Events for the Umsobomvu youth festival in Novalspont.
The MEC was advised to provide an implementation plan of the recommendations, on how remedial action would be taken.
According to the findings, criminal charges must be lodged with the Hawks.
The Public Service Commission found that allegations of maladministration, nepotism and favouritism were substantiated in the appointment of the director of sport and recreation.
The report indicated that the chief director for corporate services and the CFO should be subjected to disciplinary procedures within the next 30 days to explain their roles as panellists during the recruitment of the director of sport and recreation.
“The chief director for corporate services shifts the blame for his responsibilities to other officials and lacks the understanding for his duties as a senior manager.”
It was indicated that he was also involved in “irregular recruitment and selection processes where settlements were paid out that resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure”.
The task team stated that the three senior managers failed to advise the HOD on crucial appointments when they formed part of the interview panel.
The department suffered losses to the amount of R1 million due to irregular appointments.
It was recommended that the matter be registered for investigation by the Hawks and that the officials should be disciplined and transferred.
The report stated that due to the lapse in time, it was not in the best interests of the department to review the appointment, as the employer could “be deemed to have waived their right to act”.
The MEC was instructed to submit an implementation plan of the recommendations of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Public Protector’s reports to the Premier’s Office within the next 30 days.
The task team was of the opinion that a forensic audit should be conducted into governance and administration and human resource and financial management processes at the department.
The task team highlighted that the MEC had failed to implement the findings of the Public Protector’s report including recouping the R1.6 million plus interest that was paid to Traffic Events.
The report added that the MEC was non-compliant in taking appropriate action against the former HOD Ruth Palm and the NCACC.
“More attention is paid to bigger departments at the expense of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, which is perceived to be a ‘Cinderella department’ as it is not a core service delivery component.
“Therefore, as a result of its neglect, a toxic environment has found its footing within the department with the result that due processes and prudent financial management are disregarded by all and sundry.
“The governance challenges at the department seem to be deeper and more embedded within the department. Unfortunately, our investigation was not able (due to the limited time frame and the restricted terms of reference) to dig deeper and come to the bottom of these challenges,” the task team said.
Public Servants Association (PSA) shop steward Francois Clark pointed out that the department was being used as a cash cow.
“While irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure was incurred and targets were not met, the department still received clean audit reports and implicated officials have been shielded.”
National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) branch secretary Moses Vorster pointed out that no steps were taken against the implicated officials.
“The Public Service Commission and Public Protector’s reports made damning findings against these three officials and yet they are back at their desks after being suspended.
“The former head of the department, Ruth Palm, was the only official to face any consequence management, where her contract was not renewed. The department cannot give preferential treatment to certain individuals while our members are dealt with harshly for minor misdemeanours.”
The spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Morapedi Sekhoane, stated that the Office of the HOD had appointed an implementation task team to address all issues raised and reported.
“An implementation plan was proposed and therefore we can not comment until they have given direction on all the issues requested as this is part of their investigations and to further advise on all recommendations,” said Sekhoane.
He added that their office was dealing with all allegations and recommendations “diligently in order for due processes in the department to follow suit”.
