Estate agency body to be probed

THE Estate Agency Affairs Board appears to be in a shambles – and now the office of the public protector has decided to investigate.

A revolving-door policy in senior management‚ negative forensic audit outcomes and a number of ongoing investigations have seemingly left the board in disarray.

The public protector’s office confirmed that it had decided to investigate after receiving a written complaint from UDM leader Bantu Holomisa to look into possible maladministration and corruption in the organisation.

A 2017 forensic report pointed the finger at former chief financial officer Silence Mmotong‚ who resigned in June last year, and later recommended that civil prosecution be brought against him and former chief executive Bryan Chaplog.

But Mmotong dismissed the report as ridiculous‚ saying he had commissioned the report in the first place.

He found the report “curious and malicious, as it appears to suggest that I am accused of hiding anything instead of having acted on corruption”.

He denied any wrongdoing and said the report had been completed without proper fact checking.

He also denied allegations that a recruitment agency owned by his wife was used to employ people at the board‚ or that he was involved in any fraudulent activity during his time there.

Board spokesman Bongani Mlangeni said no action had been taken against Mmotong or Chaplog‚ and that the board was still processing the report.