Merry-go-round of dumped officials

THE merry-go-round of directors-general have been the result of suspension or termination for poor conduct or corruption.

The most notorious example is Pam Yako, the water and environmental affairs director-general, who was placed on “special leave” and later fired in 2009 for extending contracts irregularly. Her successor, acting director-general Nobubele Ngele, was suspended. When eventually a permanent appointed was made — Maxwell Sirenya in February 2012 — she too was suspended following a labour dispute.

Acting public works director-general Sam Vukela was fired for corruption in July 2013 after being suspended in September 2011. He was found by a disciplinary hearing to have been involved in irregularly awarding the police property lease that brought down police commissioner Bheki Cele. Vukela was the second public works director-general to be fired after Siviwe Dongwana, who was suspended and later left after being involved in the leasing scandal.

Labour director-general Jimmy Manyi was suspended and later redeployed to head government communications before being axed from that position too.

Correction Services national commissioner Xoliswa Sibeko was fired despite being cleared by a disciplinary hearing, after serving an extended period on “special leave”.

Langa Zita, directorgeneral for agriculture, was suspended and later left the department under a cloud.

Mamodupi Mohlala, of communications, and Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, of cooperative governance, quit after falling out with their respective ministers.