New posts for pair in sex-for-jobs wrangle

TWO Eastern Cape legislature senior managers implicated in the sex-for-jobs and jobs-for-pals scandals have now been rewarded with senior posts in another department.

Suspended legislature human resource management head Malibongwe Ngcai and strategic manager Basil Mase were unveiled last week as Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ (Cogta) latest administration bosses.

Both Ngcai and Mase, who had been on suspension since last year, reported for duty at Cogta on June 1, despite only resigning from their legislature jobs the previous day.

Ngcai was appointed general manager of corporate services, with Mase appointed as general manager, strategic information management.

The two officials were suspended last year after they approached the courts in an effort to block the Neela Hoosain Commission tasked with investigating both scandals from making the reports public.

Also implicated was former legislature administration head Phumelele Ndamase, who left administration to take up a seat as an ANC MPL.

The process to charge and discipline them for their alleged involvement in the scandals was yet to take place.

“During interviews, both officials separately and voluntarily disclosed that they were on suspension in the legislature and informed the panel on circumstances surrounding their suspensions,” Cogta spokesman Mamnkeli Ngam said.

“Because they met the competency requirements for the posts, experience and academic qualifications, they were recommended for appointment,” Ngam said.

The Hoosain commission had found that in Ngcai’s office, a secretary was moved to another unit and replaced with an intern after she rebuffed her boss’s alleged sexual advances.

The commission further found that Mase allegedly flouted recruitment policies by submitting someone’s application for a researcher post during the shortlisting process.

The unnamed researcher was later appointed, according to the report.

Legislature administration head Vuyani Mapolisa yesterday confirmed the resignations.

Mase and Ngcai could not be reached for comment.