Protesters call for nepotism cleanout

STUTTERHEIM residents are demanding that development and officials implicated in a nepotism scandal be suspended.

Hundreds of Amahlathi Service Delivery Forum (ASDF) members marched on Wednesday to the Dohne Agricultural Development Institute complaining that locals were not being employed.

Forum chairman Themba Mdedetyana said their march was influenced by a Daily Dispatch report where accusations of nepotism were levelled against senior employees of the department including its head, Lumkile Ngada.

Mdedetyana claimed only a small number of Stutterheim residents were employed in the institute.

“We want those who are implicated in this scandal to be suspended, including the HoD Ngada himself. Only 5% of our people are employed in this institution.

“We also want an independent investigation on these allegations, not this departmental investigation. The premier [Phumulo Masualle] must intervene,” said Mdedetyana.

Three months ago the Dispatch exposed how Ngada and some other senior officials within the department had allegedly employed or influenced the employment of their relatives in the department.

Some were accused of employing their wives and children.

Ngada denied that, saying he was not involved in determining who was to be employed.

Rural development and agrarian reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane’s spokesman, Mvusi Sicwetsha, said the allegations levelled against Ngada had been investigated and there was no proof of nepotism.

“These allegations were investigated three times. But if anyone has credible evidence and not hearsay, they must bring that to the MEC,” said Sicwetsha.

He added that Stutterheim’s Mlungisi township residents should not let themselves be used by employees who had grudges after being disciplined for misconduct. —