Premier takes action against union leaders

Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha, who has been labelled “Mr Inaction” by his critics, has proven to doubters he is capable of taking action against those found on the wrong side of the law in his office and his Cabinet.

Hardly a week after the Limpopo provincial leadership of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) pressed charges of corruption against him with the Hawks, Mathabatha charged two senior Nehawu members from the Samson Magomane branch, operating at the premier’s office, with misconduct.

Although the premier’s office did not name the officials, it is believed the two charged for misconduct are the chair, Norman Mavhunga, and his deputy, Ndhivuwu Phathela.

The two reportedly received charge sheet letters yesterday and are expected to appear before a disciplinary committee next month.

Phathela is accused of forcing a travel agency to change his flight bookings from economy class to business class during an official trip to China in 2018. The move was said to be against Treasury regulations and was viewed as a misconduct, The Citizen was told.

Mavhunga is reportedly accused of contravention of the supply chain management policy after he allegedly, in June 2010, failed to recuse himself during a bid evaluation process which ultimately awarded his wife’s company, Uvha Trading, a catering tender for a 16 June event.

Yesterday, the office of the premier confirmed that two Nehawu leaders attached to the office had been served with notices of disciplinary action.

The charges were not related or linked to the recent action by Nehawu, where they unleashed a calculated disinformation campaign against the provincial government, the office of the premier and Mathabatha himself, as part of their pre-emptive strike, it said.

Provincial secretary for Nehawu in Limpopo Jacob Adams said: “We are shocked, but not surprised, to hear this news from the media as opposed to receiving this information from the leadership of the branch.

“However we are not surprised as this is a real definition of Mathabatha’s administration, which is characterised by union leaders assassination and union bashing,” he said.

Adams said Mathabatha’s administration has been terrorising shop stewards since he assumed leadership of the provincial government.