Suspended for refusing to take ‘unlawful orders’
Senior N West official blows whistle on MEC in damning letter
ANORTH West government department chief director has been suspended for apparently refusing to take “unlawful instructions” from an MEC.
Chief director of corporate services Social Development, Itumeleng Mogorosi, was suspended last week for allegedly refusing to hire 26 unqualified people and sourcing 14 office buildings that were not budgeted for.
Other allegations that have been directed at MEC Hoffman Galeng are that he abused his powers to have the salaries of his personal assistant and driver doubled.
Galeng brought the two with him late last year when he was appointed to his current position.
It has also emerged that the MEC used his hand to force the department to pay two monthly rentals of R200 000 in advance towards a building in Klerksdorp to house the department’s offices, and which was still being renovated.
Mogorosi was suspended last week after he blew the whistle in a letter, Setting the Record Straight – A Case of Abuse of State Power and Executive Interference in Administration.
In the letter which he had sent to departmental management committee (DMC) members last month, Mogorosi spoke about the unlawful incidents of intimidation, threats and insults by the executive to instil fear in their subordinates.
The letter goes on to state that there were six other people in the firing line for fighting the rampant corruption in the department.
Without mentioning Galeng’s name, Mogorosi also stated how he was forced to hire 26 people, some without Grade 12, and that he was coerced verbally to dismiss two colleagues who had won an internal disciplinary matter.
“The de- partment is in a serious state of darkness and requires true public servants to stand out and stop what is happening.
“This is a very concerning state of affairs (for) those of us who still have a conscience.
“I’m warning that we need to deal with this decisively.
“It is a virus that will leave a long-lasting negative impact on the image that the collective of the department management has been building over the past three to four years,” writes Mogorosi in the letter.
The Star called Mogorosi to comment on this matter, but he declined to do so.
“These matters form part of my pending disciplinary hearings and I cannot comment on them,” Mogorosi insisted. Department spokesperson Petrus Siko confirmed Mogorosi’s suspension but did not want to comment on allegations against the MEC. “We confirm that the chief director, corporate services, in the Department of Social Development has been suspended pending the investigation.
“We are not at liberty to divulge information until the investigation is completed.
“Whistle- blowing as provided for in the Protected Disclosure Act is supported,” said Siko.
Sources in the department alleged that Galeng was running the institution into unnecessary debt.
“The department already had a deficit of about R5 million when the MEC tried to convince the director to unlawfully source 14 buildings.
“The MEC refused to let the procurement go on tender even though the government policies state that anything over R1m should go on open tender,” said the source.
The Star has also seen the list of 26 people that Galeng allegedly gave to Mogorosi for placement in his department.
While 12 had post-matric qualifications, the other 14 only had high school qualifications, including one person who shares Galeng’s surname. Sources said the department had no positions and budget available.
Galeng was also believed to have bloated the salaries of his PA, Petunia Selebogo, and his driver, Gilbert Mogotsi, whom he brought when he took office last year.
The Star has seen a letter he wrote to the head of department, instructing him to deviate from the normal salary notches for the pair.
The salary of Selebogo, who was supposed to receive R657 000 a year at level 11, was pushed up to level 12 at R802 848.
Mogotsi’s salary was supposed to be R127 851 but was hiked to R326 601.
Galeng’s justification on the matter of the salaries was that the two worked for him at the legislature where they were earning higher salaries.
In 2015, there were media reports that Galeng, then ANC chief whip, had spent R225 000 from the party’s corporate credit card and splurged on groceries, fuel and fast-food over a period of five months.
He brushed aside the report as a smear campaign.
‘I’m warning that we need to deal with this decisively’