Dirco director-general fired over R118m spend for New York land that did not exist

International relations and co-operation director-general Kgabo Mahoai has been fired.

In a statement on Friday evening, the department said the decision followed the conclusion of a disciplinary case against him.

“Mahoai faced charges related to irregular expenditure incurred by the department on an unsuccessful project to purchase a piece of land in New York for purposes of constructing premises to accommodate SA’s Permanent Mission to the UN and New York Consulate,” Dirco said in a statement.

Nonceba Losi will continue to act as the Dirco DG.

Earlier this year, Dirco minister Naledi Pandor placed Mohoai on precautionary suspension after the department spent R118m of taxpayers' money on a piece of land in New York that did not exist, TimesLIVE previously reported.

A December 2019 fact-finding mission by the parliamentary portfolio committee on international relations and co-operation found that the piece of land meant to house diplomats that had been paid for did not exist - meaning the R118m spent likely amounted to fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

The delegation found no vacant piece of land and only an old dilapidated building where the land was supposed to be, despite the R118m already being paid.

TimesLIVE