Second attempt to probe sex-for-jobs claims lags.
THE Bhisho legislature yesterday blamed the Eastern Cape judge president for delays in setting up a task team to investigate a sex for jobs scandal.
Legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet announced in July she would appoint a team led by a retired judge but the team has failed to materialise without a leader. Legislature spokeswoman Bulelwa Ganyaza said: “The speaker wrote to the Eastern Cape Judge President Themba Sangoni requesting a retired judge to chair the committee. We are still awaiting a response.”
However, Ncumisa Malgas, secretary to the judge president said: “The judge president has advised me that he has discussed the matter with the speaker (Noxolo Kiviet).
“Kindly speak to the speaker for further information.”
The speaker’s chief of staff, Sipho Lunyawo, confirmed Kiviet’s office had not received a response. “I deal with all correspondence to the speaker. He might have spoken to her in private, but as far as I am concerned no response has been received. This team should have started with its work in the last week of August, but since we don’t have everyone available, we cannot start.”
Lunyawo said only the Human Right’s Commission had responded to their request to join the team.
“We don’t have anyone from the Gender Commission, nor a name for a retired MP,” he said.
The stalled attempt follows another failed effort to investigate the claims. A team appointed by premier Phumulo Masualle in June turned up empty-handed.
Sources in Office of the Premier and Bhisho Legislature said both task teams had failed. “If you look into the team appointed by the premier, it did not come up with any results. It has failed to produce a report and it was just a futile exercise,” one senior official said.
Provincial spokeswoman Mandisa Titi declined to comment.
In June four women and two men spoke out on how senior managers had demanded sexual favours for jobs, with their allegations reflecting that the scandal was taking place at the highest levels in Bhisho.
Allegations made by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) that senior officials had demanded sex in return for permanent posts or better jobs reverberated in Bhisho when a dossier containing details of the scandal were handed to Kiviet in June. In July she announced she would appoint a retired judge to investigate the claims.
In the Nehawu document given to Kiviet and seen by the Daily Dispatch, the union alleges that:
lSome senior managers demand sexual favours from interns in exchange for jobs;
lEmployment practices are manipulated to employ cronies; and
lPolicies are implemented without consultation.
Masualle appointed a task team led by Ngaka Mosehana, the head of the department for safety and liaison, in June.
Mosehana was assisted by advocate Zoleka Fanana from the office of the premier; Zolisa Loni, department of education; Dr Sjekula Mbanga, department of human settlements; and Canon Lulama Ntshingwa of the religious fraternity and chairman of the Eastern Cape Men’s Sector.
But the team had minimal success as it only received one formal complaint – for nepotism.
Nehawu said it had no confidence in the team. — mphumziz@dispatch.co.za
Mystery over stalled inquiry
THE Bhisho legislature yesterday blamed the Eastern Cape judge president for delays in setting up a task team to investigate a sex for jobs scandal.
Legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet announced in July she would appoint a team led by a retired judge but the team has failed to materialise without a leader. Legislature spokeswoman Bulelwa Ganyaza said: “The speaker wrote to the Eastern Cape Judge President Themba Sangoni requesting a retired judge to chair the committee. We are still awaiting a response.”
However, Ncumisa Malgas, secretary to the judge president said: “The judge president has advised me that he has discussed the matter with the speaker (Noxolo Kiviet).
“Kindly speak to the speaker for further information.”
The speaker’s chief of staff, Sipho Lunyawo, confirmed Kiviet’s office had not received a response. “I deal with all correspondence to the speaker. He might have spoken to her in private, but as far as I am concerned no response has been received. This team should have started with its work in the last week of August, but since we don’t have everyone available, we cannot start.”
Lunyawo said only the Human Right’s Commission had responded to their request to join the team.
“We don’t have anyone from the Gender Commission, nor a name for a retired MP,” he said.
The stalled attempt follows another failed effort to investigate the claims. A team appointed by premier Phumulo Masualle in June turned up empty-handed.
Sources in Office of the Premier and Bhisho Legislature said both task teams had failed. “If you look into the team appointed by the premier, it did not come up with any results. It has failed to produce a report and it was just a futile exercise,” one senior official said.
Provincial spokeswoman Mandisa Titi declined to comment.
In June four women and two men spoke out on how senior managers had demanded sexual favours for jobs, with their allegations reflecting that the scandal was taking place at the highest levels in Bhisho.
Allegations made by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) that senior officials had demanded sex in return for permanent posts or better jobs reverberated in Bhisho when a dossier containing details of the scandal were handed to Kiviet in June. In July she announced she would appoint a retired judge to investigate the claims.
In the Nehawu document given to Kiviet and seen by the Daily Dispatch, the union alleges that:
lSome senior managers demand sexual favours from interns in exchange for jobs;
lEmployment practices are manipulated to employ cronies; and
lPolicies are implemented without consultation.
Masualle appointed a task team led by Ngaka Mosehana, the head of the department for safety and liaison, in June.
Mosehana was assisted by advocate Zoleka Fanana from the office of the premier; Zolisa Loni, department of education; Dr Sjekula Mbanga, department of human settlements; and Canon Lulama Ntshingwa of the religious fraternity and chairman of the Eastern Cape Men’s Sector.
But the team had minimal success as it only received one formal complaint – for nepotism.
Nehawu said it had no confidence in the team. — mphumziz@dispatch.co.za
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