Call for auditor-general to probe Netball SA president Molokwane’s ‘questionable’ leave days

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Polokwane municipality in Limpopo has written to the auditor-general, Tsakani Maluleke, to flag the 212 special leave days granted to Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane, from 1 January 2019 to 4 March 2023. The leave was granted with full pay.

The provincial DA is perturbed that all municipal officials are, by law, required to work and earn their keep at the end of the month. It said the netball president allegedly smiled all the way to the bank every month for doing little or close to nothing.

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A report, confirming details of the leave days which The Citizen has seen, has set tongues wagging in this tourism, agriculture and mining-rich province. The report was presented during a council sitting on 28 July following the DA’s written questions.

Molokwane’s leave ‘approved’

According to the council report, the municipality confirmed the approval of Molokwane’s leave. In a statement seen by The Citizen, the council said apart from being acting sports and recreation manager for the Polokwane municipality, “Molokwane has served on a number of structures and currently serves as board member for World Netball, is president of Netball Africa and South Africa. Council has approved special leave for Molokwane to serve at the national office whenever she is required.”

Yesterday, the spokesperson for the municipality, Tshidiso Mothapo, said: “Council is the highest decision-making body in the municipality and, in the absence of a policy, council will deliberate and take a decision.

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“Once a decision is taken, it becomes a council resolution with resolutions that must be implemented by the administration, including that the municipality must develop its own policy on special leave.”

Contacted for comment, Molokwane said she was baffled by the fact that the DA was having problems with a matter that was discussed and finalised in the presence of the party.

“I think you are asking the wrong person,” she said. “The DA forms part of the Polokwane municipal council. When this matter was discussed in council, they were there and formed part of the discussions.

“I don’t take decisions for the council and if any council decision becomes questionable, the municipality has the spokesperson – who speaks on behalf of the council. That is the division I think your questions should be directed to,” she said.

Molokwane is a full-time acting manager in the sports and recreation department of the Polokwane municipality. She also wears three more caps – as president of Netball South Africa, as a board member of Netball World Cup 2023 and president of Netball Africa.

Full pay

According to the DA, from 4 January, 2019 to 4 March, 2023, council approved 212 special leave days with full pay for Molokwane.

Of these, 118 days were used in 2019, 18 days in 2020, 56 days in 2021, 10 days in 2022, and 10 days in 2023. To the dismay of her critics, the council further granted approval for special leave with full pay from 28 July until 6 August 2023. This accounted for another six days in 2023.

In addition to her municipal salary and benefits, Molokwane is understood to be receiving a monthly allowance of R23 247.21 from Netball South Africa.

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This has angered the party. It argued that in terms of a collective agreement on conditions of service for the Limpopo division of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC), a special leave with full pay for ad hoc instances to partake in a bona fide sports activity at provincial and higher levels will not exceed three working days.

‘Not a game of numbers’

DA councillor in the Polokwane municipality, Androe Botha, said: “This matter was raised in council recently, but the ANC majority in council defeated us.

“I want to state categorically that this should not be a game of numbers, it should be about the rule of law.”

Botha said it was also concerning that the municipality did not appoint an official in an acting capacity when Molokwane was absent from her duties.

She said if the municipality had the best interests of the people of Polokwane at heart, especially those in the sporting fraternity, it should have appointed someone in an acting capacity to continue with duties during Molokwane’s leave days.

“We have also planned to request the SALGBC to investigate and keep Molokwane financially liable for all funds she irregularly received while on this questionable leave. It is clear that the ruling party treats some officials more equally than others – something the DA will not tolerate,” added Botha.

– news@citizen.co.za