‘Chess-board’ moves allegedly used to capture Joburg Development Agency

Whistleblowers have raised concerns about a possible plot to capture the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) in time for budget allocation on the multi-billion rand Corridors of Freedom project.

ALSO READ: Joburg’s Corridors of Freedom raise more concerns

The agency is responsible for the mega urban development project unveiled in 2013 by then executive mayor Parks Tau in line with the Johannesburg 2040 Growth and Development Strategy.

Its vision is for affordable and safe transport systems, increased availability of affordable accommodation closer to commercial centres and enhanced public facilities.

But internal whistleblowers believe recent developments at JDA pointed to an apparent strategic axing and positioning of people who would be in charge of the mega project.

In December, the agency’s then chairperson Papi Kganare accused Joburg Metro’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Thapelo Amad, of meddling in the agency’s affairs and warned him against “illegally issuing instructions” to JDA staff.

Amad denied the accusations in a written response to Kganare, saying that although the board is independent, it is “accountable to the City and is not a law unto itself”.

This came shortly after the agency’s boss, Anthony Ngcezula, was placed on precautionary suspension in December pending disciplinary process following allegations of misconduct.

According to the charge sheet, he was slapped with charges of alleged procurement irregularities and allegedly ordering the agency driver to run errands for him.

On the first day of Ngcezula’s hearing, he allegedly sent in a doctor’s letter and the matter was postponed. In the meantime, Kganare’s term as JDA board chair expired and the hearing never took off, pending the appointment of a new board chairperson.

Last month, Mabatalale Phaahla was appointed as the agency’s new chair, and promptly lifted the suspension of Ngcezula.

“The decisions to fire [the manager: Development Implementation], who decides on projects and heads the bid adjudication committee and to reinstate Ngcezula were taken on the first meeting of the new board. Those were the only two matters dealt with by the new board on its first meeting… that cannot be a coincidence,” a whistleblower told The Citizen.

According to sources, manager’s axing for insubordination and the return of Ngcezula as CEO was the first apparent “chess-board” move to strategically positioning key ring players at the agency.

The Citizen understands that the agency’s R1 billion annual budget is set to shoot up to almost R4 billion for the Corridors of Freedom, which also includes the Smart City project.

Former chair Kganare told The Citizen that if Ngcezula has been reinstated without a hearing, then the board must produce legal advice on that decision.

“He did not go through the hearing as per the recommendation of the independent investigation that substantiated the allegations…the board is reckless and borders on delinquency. If this matter is investigated, I wonder what will come out,” he said.

Phaahla refused to answer questions and referred The Citizen to the agency’s spokesperson, which the agency did not have.

Ngcezula charged that he would only comment if this reporter told him what sources said he was suspended for “because you are chasing a Mickey Mouse story”.

When told the charges were gleaned from his charge sheet, Ngcezula said the charge sheet was “bogus” as he had been charged with two charges and not three.

What the MMC says

City of Johannesburg Metro’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning Thapelo Amad said he was informed by the Board that Athony Ngcezula (CEO of JDA) had been re-instated.

He said Ngcezula’s reinstatement was the sole prerogative of the board, explaining that in December he had requested details that recommend Ngcezula’s suspension to compile a report for the mayoral committee meeting.

Responding to allegations of illegally instructing JDA staff, he said the meeting he had with JDA senior staff members was an intervention related to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) that had staged a sit-in at the agency’s offices in December.

“I concluded a meeting by having a separate meeting with the CFO and Company legal secretary and informed them I will deal with SMMEs concerns,” Amad responded.

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