Calls to axe ‘bungling’ Mgidlana

JUST two months before the contract of secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana comes to an end, a disciplinary committee has recommended that he be summarily dismissed after it found him guilty on seven charges.

This was revealed yesterday by National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise when she briefed the joint standing committee on financial management of Parliament.

Mgidlana was placed on suspension with benefits in November 2017 after an independent audit committee completed its investigation into allegations of administrative irregularities against him.

This after allegations were levelled against him by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu).

At the centre of the allegations was that Mgidlana irregularly received an ex gratia payment of R71 000, improper allocation of a study bursary, improper travel management and irregular procurement of services.

Modise said one charge was withdrawn due to lack of evidence and that he was found not guilty on five charges because policy was not clear on the issues he was charged with.

“He was found guilty on seven charges. On four of the seven charges, he was found guilty of serious misconduct with a sanction that was summary dismissal. The other two charges were final warnings,” she said.

Modise also said the presiding officers had conferred and were sending correspondence to Mgidlana informing him that they would accept the recommendation of the disciplinary committee.

The ANC’s deputy chief whip Dorries Dlakude said her party appreciated the report from Modise.

John Steenhuisen, DA chief whip said his party welcomed the announcement by Modise that a disciplinary committee found Mgidlana guilty on four counts of serious misconduct.

“Parliament must now pick up its feet, and the pace, and move the matter through both houses of Parliament with great urgency,” he said.

Nehawu branch chairperson Sthembiso Tembe said they accepted the findings of the disciplinary committee.

“It was our long-held view that he should not have been appointed,” Tembe said.

Neither Mgidlana nor his legal representative could be reached for comment.