A damning report giving details on how some senior Bhisho managers allegedly asked for sexual favours from sub-ordinates in return for promotion has been gathering dust in premier Phumulo Masualle’s office since its completion in January last year.
The shocking report, leaked to the Saturday Dispatch, includes details of claims by one female Bhisho employee who alleged she had been raped 10 times by her supervisor between 2002 and 2009.
In her submission to investigators, the employee said she did not report the incidents because she feared for her life as the alleged perpetrator had threatened her.
The 42-page confidential report was the result of an investigation into a sex-for-jobs and jobs-for-pals scandal instituted by cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa in 2014.
The investigation was launched after the Dispatch published several reports on the matter.
National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) leaders at Cogta had earlier come forward saying several employees claimed their bosses had continued to ask for sexual favours in return for senior posts.
It was further alleged that inexperienced candidates at the bottom of a list were often appointed ahead of more deserving candidates.
A task team led by Advocate Pretorius Msiwa was appointed to investigate the matter.
In the report the team recommended that the supervisor alleged to have raped his employee 10 times should face disciplinary action “immediately”.
However, the Dispatch can reveal that the manager only resigned in March this year before a disciplinary process was started.
The report further states that 19 Cogta employees came forward and implicated then Cogta superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile of wrongdoing.
One complainant was the husband of a woman Khanyile had hired first as an intern before employing her full time.
The report details that the traumatised husband told the four-member committee how Khanyile had interfered in their marriage when he offered his wife the job, knowing full well they were going through a separation.
Khanyile, however, told the committee that the intern had only joined his office after the couple’s divorce was finalised and denied dating her.
The task team reported that Cogta launched a forensic investigation into unauthorised expenditure at the municipality where the estranged husband was employed, an investigation the complainant viewed as a witch-hunt.
“The committee shares a strong suspicion that the investigation imposed on the municipality was done with ulterior motives by the SG .
“The committee fails to understand how the SG could assess, and share with it, such confidential documentation as the final divorce papers of .
“It is recommended that the incident and the behaviour of the SG concerning be investigated further to determine a possible disciplinary charge to be preferred against the SG,” Msiwa wrote.
Khanyile’s decision to swop candidates after they had applied and been interviewed and appointed for two different positions was also questioned.
The report recommended that Khanyile be charged for “neglecting his supervisory duty as HOD”, after an official was not given his allowances dating back six years.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Khanyile confirmed seeing a copy of the report but refused to respond to questions.
“It’s best you speak to the premier about that report. It was instituted by the MEC, and therefore the premier is the one who is best suited to deal with its content.”
The team also recommended that Xasa investigate whether “there is prima facie evidence of sexual harassment or innuendo allegations”, against a third senior Cogta official.
The official, who also resigned a few months ago, is accused of making sexual advances to a junior when he offered help “if she has challenges”.
“At first she thought that (the accused) was referring to work until one day when he telephoned her and instructed her to come to his office.”
The accused allegedly promised her that if they met elsewhere “he could persuade the panel as he was chairperson of the interview (panel) for the position the complainant had applied for”.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Xasa said he had handed the report to the premier and that the department was busy implementing all its recommendations.
He said: “The department is implementing the recommendations of the Msiwa Report progressively with a view to ensure that we bring stability and good governance in the department.
“This includes giving instructions to the relevant chief directorates to take action against the officials mentioned in the report.”
He said in order to ensure the situation was turned around, the department was currently drafting the terms of reference for another forensic investigation into how Cogta was being run. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
l See page 5 for premier Phumulo Masualle’s response and further reports.
Bhisho's sex report of shame
The shocking report, leaked to the Saturday Dispatch, includes details of claims by one female Bhisho employee who alleged she had been raped 10 times by her supervisor between 2002 and 2009.
In her submission to investigators, the employee said she did not report the incidents because she feared for her life as the alleged perpetrator had threatened her.
The 42-page confidential report was the result of an investigation into a sex-for-jobs and jobs-for-pals scandal instituted by cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa in 2014.
The investigation was launched after the Dispatch published several reports on the matter.
National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) leaders at Cogta had earlier come forward saying several employees claimed their bosses had continued to ask for sexual favours in return for senior posts.
It was further alleged that inexperienced candidates at the bottom of a list were often appointed ahead of more deserving candidates.
A task team led by Advocate Pretorius Msiwa was appointed to investigate the matter.
In the report the team recommended that the supervisor alleged to have raped his employee 10 times should face disciplinary action “immediately”.
However, the Dispatch can reveal that the manager only resigned in March this year before a disciplinary process was started.
The report further states that 19 Cogta employees came forward and implicated then Cogta superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile of wrongdoing.
One complainant was the husband of a woman Khanyile had hired first as an intern before employing her full time.
The report details that the traumatised husband told the four-member committee how Khanyile had interfered in their marriage when he offered his wife the job, knowing full well they were going through a separation.
Khanyile, however, told the committee that the intern had only joined his office after the couple’s divorce was finalised and denied dating her.
The task team reported that Cogta launched a forensic investigation into unauthorised expenditure at the municipality where the estranged husband was employed, an investigation the complainant viewed as a witch-hunt.
“The committee shares a strong suspicion that the investigation imposed on the municipality was done with ulterior motives by the SG .
“The committee fails to understand how the SG could assess, and share with it, such confidential documentation as the final divorce papers of .
“It is recommended that the incident and the behaviour of the SG concerning be investigated further to determine a possible disciplinary charge to be preferred against the SG,” Msiwa wrote.
Khanyile’s decision to swop candidates after they had applied and been interviewed and appointed for two different positions was also questioned.
The report recommended that Khanyile be charged for “neglecting his supervisory duty as HOD”, after an official was not given his allowances dating back six years.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Khanyile confirmed seeing a copy of the report but refused to respond to questions.
“It’s best you speak to the premier about that report. It was instituted by the MEC, and therefore the premier is the one who is best suited to deal with its content.”
The team also recommended that Xasa investigate whether “there is prima facie evidence of sexual harassment or innuendo allegations”, against a third senior Cogta official.
The official, who also resigned a few months ago, is accused of making sexual advances to a junior when he offered help “if she has challenges”.
“At first she thought that (the accused) was referring to work until one day when he telephoned her and instructed her to come to his office.”
The accused allegedly promised her that if they met elsewhere “he could persuade the panel as he was chairperson of the interview (panel) for the position the complainant had applied for”.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Xasa said he had handed the report to the premier and that the department was busy implementing all its recommendations.
He said: “The department is implementing the recommendations of the Msiwa Report progressively with a view to ensure that we bring stability and good governance in the department.
“This includes giving instructions to the relevant chief directorates to take action against the officials mentioned in the report.”
He said in order to ensure the situation was turned around, the department was currently drafting the terms of reference for another forensic investigation into how Cogta was being run. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
l See page 5 for premier Phumulo Masualle’s response and further reports.
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