Nkandla disciplinary hearing postponed

THE latest disciplinary hearing into alleged wrongdoing in the R246-million upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead was postponed yesterday – for the third time in a row.

Jayshree Pardesi‚ Pretoria-based national director of key accounts management‚ appeared at her hearing in Durban‚ but a fight over incomplete documents meant it could not go ahead.

She is one of 10 public works officials who are accused of flouting tender processes that led to controversial architect Minenhle Makhanya being appointed to lead the Nkandla project.

In the last two months‚ Pardesi’s colleagues – Sibusiso Chonco, deputy director for utilisations and contracts in the Durban office, and Rakesh Dhaniram, also a director of key accounts for the national Department of Public Works – had their hearings postponed.

Yesterday‚ Pardesi’s legal representative‚ Adrian Moodley‚ said several key documents – some of them “secret” – had not been included in their bundle provided by the state’s legal team.

Moodley said he had not been given the full minutes‚ including the annexures‚ of the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) meeting from June 15 2010‚ which was where a recommendation was made for a negotiated process to be used to employ Makhanya.

His client was also not given a “PA12” document‚ which contains all reasons for any decision made by the BAC.

But‚ most importantly‚ Moodley claims he was not given a letter‚ dated October 21 2010‚ which authorised the deviation from the prescribed tender process. This document would be crucial to Pardesi’s defence‚ he said.

While the state’s legal representative‚ Clement Kulati‚ said neither public works nor the Special Investigating Unit had these documents‚ Moodley promised to find them. He has until June 23 to make them available to Kulati.

Pardesi’s hearing will continue on July 18.