Hawks probe Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha over locks tender

The Hawks have confirmed that they are investigating a criminal case opened against Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu).

Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the union claimed that Mathabatha failed to act against alleged criminal acts in his office.

“The labour movement Nehawu alleges that the office of the premier in the Limpopo province issued a tender to put in locks at their offices. They further alleged that over R180,000 was paid to the service provider for services not rendered.

“They also alleged that another tender was issued and awarded to someone related to a bid committee. They claim that all these allegations were reported to the premier, but he [did] not do anything.

“The investigation into the allegations is under way,” Mogale said.

When contacted by News24, the premier’s spokesperson, Willy Mosoma, said they were not aware of any criminal charges. He said the office of the premier would wait for law enforcement agencies to formally inform Mathabatha or any other official.

“Therefore we are unable to respond to rumours that are circulating currently,” Mosoma added.

ALSO READ: Why Cosatu in Limpopo have called for Premier Stan Mathabatha to step down

Nehawu provincial secretary Jacob Adams told News24 the union became aware of alleged fraudulent activities in the office of the premier through whistleblowers.

“The executing authority or senior management are obliged by law to report a crime once they become aware of it. They failed to open cases with the police.

“The whistleblowers told us about fraudulent activities which resulted in taxpayers’ money being used randomly. We laid those charges with the Hawks,” Adams said.

He also referred to an instance in which an official in the Office of the Premier allegedly generated invoices from his work computer for payment to companies owned by his mother and other relatives.

He also referred to a case of a senior official who allegedly misrepresented his academic qualifications to land a lucrative post.

The senior official is believed to be Michael Maseko, the head of labour relations in the Office of the Premier.

A Nehawu branch had earlier accused Maseko of misrepresenting his qualifications by allegedly claiming that a four-month course he attended was a diploma course. The union branch also alleged the qualification could not be verified as the “college he purported to have attended had since closed down at the time of his appointment”.

Maseko previously described Nehawu’s move to write to the premier about its allegations against him as “disingenuous”.

He said he couldn’t understand why the union wrote to the premier when it had already lodged a dispute with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, adding that “all the documents were there”.

The union branch has since written to the premier, saying Maseko had threatened the branch secretary Ndivhuwo Madzusa after News24 reported on the alleged misrepresentation of qualifications.

Mosoma confirmed that the premier had received a letter of complaint from the union.

“The premier has since directed administration to investigate the matter so that he can determine the next course of action. [The] office of the premier has a policy discouraging violent conduct at the workplace.

“Therefore, this matter is still under investigations and it must be treated as such,” Mosoma said. However, Maseko denied threatening the union official. He said he was not aware that the union had written a letter of complaint to the premier.

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