North West top jobs row deepens
Concerns raised about hiring CEO without a matric after CFO’s arrest for fraudulent residence permit
A North West state-owned entity that appointed a foreign national who was later found to have used a fraudulent residence permit is now accused of appointing a CEO who did not have the required qualification for the job.
The North West Development Corporation (NWDC) found itself in the spotlight earlier this week after the arrest of its recently-resigned CFO Kudakwashe Mpofu.
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi lambasted the corporation for failing to do due diligence ahead of appointing Mpofu, saying its actions were “a matter of national embarrassment”.
Today the Sunday Times can reveal that the corporation’s CEO Mojalefa Nale may not have the requirements for the top job — a matric certificate.
North West Hawks confirmed this week that they were investigating fraud related to Nale’s appointment after a member of the provincial legislature, Mmoloki Cwaile, opened a case with police three weeks ago.
Cwaile said he had opted to open the police case against North West MEC for economic development, environment, conservation and tourism, Virginia Tlhapi, as she had the final say on the appointment of the CEO.
“The advert stated that the CEO must have matric and Nale declared that he did not have matric but was still appointed to the job. The board recommends and it’s the MEC who appoints,” Cwaile said
He accused Tlhapi of abandoning her fiduciary duties and said she had “not acted in the best interest of the public” in appointing Nale.
Nale was appointed CEO in January despite not having a matric certificate — one of the minimum requirements listed for the job.
Nale worked in the office of the ANC secretary-general at Luthuli House before moving to the NWDC. It was his second stint at the corporation. He resigned in 2015 after being placed on special leave while an investigation was under way “as a result of discrepancies discovered in the manner in which you carry out your duties”.
North West Hawks spokesperson WO Amogelang Malwetse said: “I can confirm that a case of fraud was registered and investigations are under way. So far no arrest [has been made].”
Nale confirmed in his application for the job that he did not have matric. He also confirmed this to the Sunday Times on Friday. Yet he claims to have a diploma in development economics (1999) and a master of science qualification in macroeconomic policy and planning in developing countries (2002) from the University of Bradford in the UK.
In his 30-page application, Nale states in his CV that he went into exile while in standard 9 (grade 11) and therefore couldn’t complete his matric.
“Upon my return I attempted to complete my grade 12 in 1992. I managed to correspond through Damelin and passed the first three subjects in 1993,” Nale’s CV stated.
He said he sat exams in 1996 for the remaining three subjects “but did not obtain the results and I proceeded with studies at a higher level. I therefore did not proceed with high school studies for matriculation”.
Asked if the entry requirements at the University of Bradford did not require matric, Nale told the Sunday Times: “Matric was not a requirement. I applied and was required to make representation that I will be able to meet the standard of the course.
“This is not unique to Bradford, I went through the same when I applied for the executive development programme and MBL at Unisa School of Business.”
Nale said the issue about him not having matric was not new.
“This issue is not raised for the first time and was fully answered by the provincial commissioner of the PSC when it was first raised around 2000,” Nale said.
Cwaile, who submitted an affidavit to police in support of his case, also accused Nale of lying about the money he allegedly earned at the ANC to “inflate” his salary at the NWDC.
Nale had submitted a document, signed by an HR official at Luthuli House, which claimed he earned R100,550 monthly which was “paid via EFT on the last day of the month”.
“Earning R100,000 at the ANC is a lie he made to ensure that he’s paid more at the NWDC,” Cwaile said.
Nale said he had not lied, he was in the process of negotiating for his salary and had to provide evidence of what he earned at his previous employer.
“The salary offer was negotiated and I provided written confirmation of my salary by my previous employer to the HR and remuneration committee of the NWDC. There was no misrepresentation,” he said.
Nale accused Cwaile of having personal issues with him as Cwaile had been ejected from a provincial ANC conference in which Nale was responsible for registration of delegates.
“Cwaile was one of the people demanding to be accredited [to the conference] to the extent that he entered the conference using bogus accreditation. He was ejected from conference after delegates raised his issue,” Nale said.
Cwaile disputed that, claiming Nale had played a minor role at the conference.
Asked about his first departure from the corporation in 2015, Nale said: “I left by mutual agreement when they could not proceed with their disciplinary case against me.”
With regards to CFO Mpofu, Tlhapi said she had discovered “discrepancies” with regards to the processes followed by the board in his appointment, including failure to verify his citizenship and qualifications.
Regarding Nale’s appointment, Tlhapi said she appointed a panel comprising three heads of departments and the board.
“I went with their recommendations as they were happy that he qualifies and they did not raise any issue with matric,” Tlhapi said.
She said she did not understand why a complaint of fraud would be opened against her.
NWDC board chair Kopano Konopi had not responded by the time of going to print on the vetting done ahead of the appointments of Mpofu and Nale.
Mpofu appeared in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Wednesday on a charge of fraud and contravening the Immigration Act after handing himself to police.
His case has been postponed to Tuesday.