Top two Armscor directors get chop
Minister to fill three vacancies on board
THE AXE came down yesterday on Maomela Motau, the chairman of state arms procurement company Armscor, who has sat in his Pretoria office for a year refusing to accept an earlier dismissal.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe MapisaNqakula made the announcement yesterday. She informed the board of directors of her decision to immediately terminate the services of both the chairman and deputy chairwoman – Refiloe Mokoena – of the corporation.
Motau was appointed chairman in May 2011 and is described as having an MBA, a post graduate diploma in management studies, a post graduate certificate in management studies and a Bachelor of Law. He is a former chief of military intelligence and held the rank of lieutenant-general.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokesman, Sonwabo Mbananga, said the termination was done in accordance with the Armscor Act. “The minister informed the board that her decision has been in the interest of the corporation’s ability to effectively deliver on its objective and mandate as stipulated [by] the Armscor Act.”
The minister said she would proceed with the cabinet process to fill three vacancies on the board. Once a full board was in place, the minister would designate a new chair and deputy chair. “It is anticipated that the appointment of the new members… will be finalised by the end of September,” Mbananga said.
In terms of the legislation, a quorum of any meeting of the board was constituted by the majority of serving members of the board at the time – meaning that the board could continue to operate. The remaining members could elect an acting chairperson who would have all the powers to perform the duties of the office.
DA defence spokesman David Maynier welcomed the axing of Motau, whom he said had conducted “a reign of terror” in the organisation.
Noting that former defence minister Lindiwe Sisulu had attempted to fire him in June last year, Maynier said: “The general managed to dodge the first bullet… however, he was unable to dodge the second.”
In Motau’s annual report message for the 2011/12 year – his only one published – he noted that the board carried out the “very sensitive job of resourcing our security forces”.
Despite these important tasks, directors had not been sufficiently remunerated. “We hope this matter will be addressed during the course of the year. It has been a rather thankless job, but that is why we do it.”
While there is no figure available for what Motau was paid, former chairman Popo Molefe was paid R660 000 during the 2011/12 financial year.
Maynier said the general’s report message read “more like a speech by former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev”.
Motau reported that “the once glorious Armscor, that driver of technological advancement in the South African economy, that bastion of innovation, that flagship of strategic capabilities of the SA National Defence Force, is a mere shadow of its former self ”.
Maynier said this drastic action had included a strategic plan that had not gone down well with the defence establishment. He had also allegedly conducted a reign of terror that saw senior staff members purged.
After his dismissal by Sisulu on June 11 last year Motau refused to leave his office. Sisulu switched portfolios the following day.
It was not clear why Sisulu tried to fire him, but it was suspected that the Motau strategy “Repositioning Armscor: Strategy through the 21st Century” was opposed by senior managers at the state entity.
Sisulu had tried to replace Motau with Mokoena, but she subsequently became deputy chairwoman.
Mbananga would not be drawn on why the two officials had been fired. “We are not going to enter into a discussion… suffice to say we have the oversight role as it [Armscor] is a state entity and the minister has the executive authority [of oversight].”
Mokoena, previously the executive for corporate compliance at Telkom, was on the board from May 2008 and also served on the board of Bathopele Mining Investment.