Following an article published by Step Up News SA, on the 10th January 2021, titled “Free State Premier slumber at the height of administrative chaos”
The publication pointed out how expensive it would be to get rid of Sipho Mtakati, the then suspended Police, Roads, and Transport HOD, new developments have emerged.
Step UP SA News can confirm, Sipho Mtakati is no longer an employee of the Free State government after a massive settlement as he had 14 months left of his employment contract that was running untill 31st March 2023.
Mtakati’s last day was 31st January 2022 and his position has since been advertised and will close on the 25th February 2022 after 8 months suspension of full pay.
With Mtakati now settled though its not clear, if paid out of the remainder of his contract and assuming the new HoD starts in April 2022, he or she will be paid R1.9m and that would mean one job paid twice in the same calendar year which will amount to irregular expenditure.
Ntombela placed the then Roads and Transport Head of Department, Sipho Mtakati on suspension due to alleged failure to maintain roads.
In the 8 months, Mtakati spent at home he has never appeared before a disciplinary hearing.
Before that on 25 March 2021, Ntombela tried to reshuffle Mtakati to Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation a move Mtakati challenged in court and won, court documents showed Free State government had taken the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal and the settlement settles it.
In eyes of HoDs, the challenge and victory by Mtakati meant that gone are the days when MECs could ambivalently ask the Premier for their preferred HoDs.
Unconfirmed reports coming through suggest HoDs seen as pro-Magashule could soon be pushed out while those aligned to the beneficiaries of Supreme Court Appeal judgement that declared the Provincial Conference invalid could be appointed to booster the campaign to provincial and national conference.
While on HOD-related news, the office of the Premier seems to have a different view on views expressed by Premier Sefora Ntombela last year in August.
In August 2021, Ntombela addressed women during the provincial department of health’s celebration of women in the health sector she said all vacant HOD positions will be filled by women capacity or not yet she replaced a woman HOD at Social Development with a man.
Ntombela replaced Mokone Nthongoa and kept her in the office of the Premier for two years while appointing Tumelo Phahlo as acting HOD at Social Development, a move seen as anti women for a Deputy President of African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL).
Ntombela committed that four vacant HOD positions: Treasury, Police, Roads and Transport, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and Social Development will be filled but the number of vacant HOD positions is increasing as others are now on month-to-month contracts.
Currently, there are seven vacant positions meaning the government is limping.
Sello Pietersen, spokesperson to the premier confirmed the settlement.
“The termination of Mr. Mtakati’s employment contract was duly performed in terms of paragraph 23.6, chapter 8 of SMS handbook.”
With regards to the Premier’s speech that all four vacant positions will be filled by women, capacity or not, Pietersen said.
“The processes regarding the appointment of government officials is legislated and as such, we can not speculate on the gender of those who may or may not be appointed in any position.”
Sipho Mtakati referred us to Adv Modisaotsile Matlho who cited confidentiality agreement.
“Yes the matter has been settled. We also agreed to sign the confidentiality clause not to disclose the details of the settlement, but he is happy with the settlement.”
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