Amathole's economic development agency, Aspire, has reached a settlement with its suspended CEO which will see her being paid a lump sum to cover her salary for the next 18 months.
Board chairman Vanguard Mkhosana said yesterday the settlement amounted to half of what Nokulunga Mnqeta would earn if she continued in her position for the three years remaining on her contract.
The settlement follows allegations of misconduct against Mnqeta, including claims she refused to carry out a board instruction to pay wages to workers of the Emthonjeni Arts Retreat in Hamburg, which has now closed down.
She was suspended by Aspire’s board of directors in December.
Mnqeta’s lawyer Vuyani Majebe told the Daily Dispatch: “The parties have agreed to part ways amicably after a settlement was reached. We saw this matter would drag on for three years, so we agreed to settle.”
Soon after her suspension the board commissioned an investigation into Mnqetha’s conduct.
She was also accused of bringing the board into disrepute, falling to arrest the staff exodus at Aspire and failing to draft a performance plan aimed at uplifting and rescuing rural areas from poverty as part of Aspire’s programme.
The report of the investigation into her conduct – seen by the Dispatch – was sent to Amathole district mayor Nomasikizi Konza. It found while the CEO position required candidates with a master’s degree in business management (MBA) or business leadership (MBL), Mnqeta had qualifications in farming.
It said she violated a condition of her suspension that barred her from communicating with Aspire employees when she communicated with Aspire’s secretary.
It also found the mayor had interfered with Aspire processes when she asked the board to withdraw Mnqeta’s suspension before an investigation into her alleged misconduct commenced.
ADM spokeswoman Nonceba Vuso said Konza could not comment before the report was tabled to council.
Chairman Mkhosana confirmed the report had been sent to the mayor.
“I don’t know when it is going to be presented to council. is the one who decides.”
Mkhosana said the board’s term would end this week.
“We have reached a settlement; we are in the process of calculating how much she is going to get. It will be premature for me to say at the moment how much it is, as the figure is not yet known.
“She was still left with three years in her contract, but we managed to negotiate with her to only pay her for 18 months.
“The decision to let her go was communicated to her early in June.”
Mkhosana described the suspension and subsequent investigation as “a tiring period”.
“Any organisation without a CEO is impacted negatively but the damage was contained with the appointment of an acting CEO, Sintu Mbambani, a board member.” — Additional reporting by Asanda Nini
Suspended CEO to get lump sum
Board chairman Vanguard Mkhosana said yesterday the settlement amounted to half of what Nokulunga Mnqeta would earn if she continued in her position for the three years remaining on her contract.
The settlement follows allegations of misconduct against Mnqeta, including claims she refused to carry out a board instruction to pay wages to workers of the Emthonjeni Arts Retreat in Hamburg, which has now closed down.
She was suspended by Aspire’s board of directors in December.
Mnqeta’s lawyer Vuyani Majebe told the Daily Dispatch: “The parties have agreed to part ways amicably after a settlement was reached. We saw this matter would drag on for three years, so we agreed to settle.”
Soon after her suspension the board commissioned an investigation into Mnqetha’s conduct.
She was also accused of bringing the board into disrepute, falling to arrest the staff exodus at Aspire and failing to draft a performance plan aimed at uplifting and rescuing rural areas from poverty as part of Aspire’s programme.
The report of the investigation into her conduct – seen by the Dispatch – was sent to Amathole district mayor Nomasikizi Konza. It found while the CEO position required candidates with a master’s degree in business management (MBA) or business leadership (MBL), Mnqeta had qualifications in farming.
It said she violated a condition of her suspension that barred her from communicating with Aspire employees when she communicated with Aspire’s secretary.
It also found the mayor had interfered with Aspire processes when she asked the board to withdraw Mnqeta’s suspension before an investigation into her alleged misconduct commenced.
ADM spokeswoman Nonceba Vuso said Konza could not comment before the report was tabled to council.
Chairman Mkhosana confirmed the report had been sent to the mayor.
“I don’t know when it is going to be presented to council. is the one who decides.”
Mkhosana said the board’s term would end this week.
“We have reached a settlement; we are in the process of calculating how much she is going to get. It will be premature for me to say at the moment how much it is, as the figure is not yet known.
“She was still left with three years in her contract, but we managed to negotiate with her to only pay her for 18 months.
“The decision to let her go was communicated to her early in June.”
Mkhosana described the suspension and subsequent investigation as “a tiring period”.
“Any organisation without a CEO is impacted negatively but the damage was contained with the appointment of an acting CEO, Sintu Mbambani, a board member.” — Additional reporting by Asanda Nini
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos