Centlec board refers decision to suspend CEO to ANC

The future of embattled Centlec chief executive officer Malefetsane Sekoboto is hanging in the balance.

This follows a court judgment handed in December after Defensor Electronic Security (PTY) LTD had taken Centlec to court over a security tender, which awarded to Ignite Security.

Judge Daffue declared the tender awarded to Ignite Security constitutionally invalid and set it aside.

Step UP SA News has it on good authority that an executive committee meeting was held on Thursday, 14 January 2022 to discuss Sekoboto’s suspension.

Sekoboto was also blamed for the appointment and settlement with former chief financial officer Hlonelwa Nkomo, who according to sources was served with two letters – her appointment and her suspension letter – in one month.

A source who spoke on condition of anonymity has revealed that the suspension of the CEO has been referred to the ANC.

“I am told the matter is with the leadership of the ANC at the provincial level,” the source said.

It’s not clear why a state owned enterprise matter was referred to the ANC. It’s also not the first time either as we previously reported three employees of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation who were invited to a meeting by the ANC Deployment committee on 27 September 2021.

Oupa Khoabane, IPC spokesperson, when asked about what happened last year, said: “The subcommittees of the ANC interact with deployees from time to time.”

It looks like the ANC has not learnt anything from the State Capture Inquiry and more importantly, the role of its deployment committee.

Centlec has been making news for the wrong reasons in the past few years, from electricity issues, scattered CVs outside its premises and the Ace Magashule R38 million claim.

It’s still not clear whether the CEO is the reason Mangaung has so many power cuts or just power dynamics ahead of the ANC conference.

Kenosi Moroka, Centlec SOC LTD board chairman, had not responded to our questions at the time of publishing.