Purging at Free State Police, Roads and Transport

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The prolonged suspensions of three senior officials and transfers at Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport since the new MEC Maquuen Mathae was appointed continues to raise eyebrows.

Last year, Public Service Commission bemoaned the suspension of government officials and even suggested at least after 60 days, employees should return to work.

However an alleged plan to purge all those perceived to be either proxies of Ace Magashule or from Parys which was leaked is full swing.

STEPUP has it on good authority, Mohammed Ismail, head of fleet has been on suspension for over six months, on full pay and his hearing which was rescheduled to 23 and 24 November 2023, has been postponed indefinitely after the appointed chairperson of the hearing withdrew.

According to reliably sources at Community Safety, Roads and Transport, his suspension stemmed from the alleged fraud committed by two others.

“What they suspended him for is nothing but an effort to force him to resign. Remember Tlokwe and Thekiso resigned, that’s what they were hoping for, all those charged frivolously will resign.

They accusing him of dishonesty and that he did not open a case for the alleged fraud yet the reason why those officials were arrested by Hawks is because of the case he opened.

Even one of the accused, took full responsibility of his actions and that’s why even today, the HAWKS send texts about the case to Mohammed because he is the complainant.”

Further digging revealed indeed the case was opened on the 5th July 2023 according to a source within HAWKS.

Our source confirmed Mohamed is not a suspect in the case but rather a key witness.

While other two senior managers are also earning salaries while sitting at home over the allegedly irregular appointments as per PSC report, the only remedy to correct irregular appointment is through labor court, the very same labour court Community Safety, Roads and Transport ignored after it overturned the bargaining council verdict. This is in relation to the re-employment of Monnapule Ntamo over his role in the recruitment and lunch tender.

While we must applaud the department for implementing the PSC report, but did PSC recommend employees found to have irregularly appointed to be criminally charged or suspended as is the case here?

Head of legal at Free State Health was declared irregularly appointed by PSC but he was never suspended and same goes to head of legal at Education.

There have been very interesting things happening at Comminity Safety, Roads and Transport that really need to be looked with microscope.

The transfers of staff members to units they are not even qualified for is another matter we currently working on.

What qualifications do the ANC MECs actually have or it’s all about who shouts the most as former President Thabo Mbeki said while in Mangaung?

Hilary Mophethe, spokesperson for Community Safety, Roads and Transport did not respond to our questions on staff suspended including the high level of Education of the MEC.

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