Extra salary payment was ‘honest mistake’, says ex-legislature leader in Limpopo

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, popularly known as the Hawks, are investigating allegations of corruption in the provincial legislature in Lebowakgomo in Limpopo.

This comes after the legislature allegedly paid the salary of its former chief executive officer (secretary) Simon Mothoa a month after his contract had lapsed.

Mothoa’s contract lapsed at the end of February.

According to a copy of a payslip, seen by this newspaper, the legislature paid Mothoa R88 441.24 as a month’s salary, R23 190.18 for the Unemployment Insurance Fund, R14 279.01 garnished by the South African Revenue Service and R4 065.32 as a housing allowance on 29 March this year.

Earlier this year, Mothoa’s annual salary was allegedly increased from R1.7 million to R1.9 million without any evaluation. A concerned group from the Vhembe region wrote a letter to Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha and members of his provincial executive committee asking them to intervene.

The group claimed the legislature was being run by three mafias, who have turned the institution into their cash-cow. “This is a daylight robbery. How do you pay a person a salary when he is no longer on the payroll of the institution.

“Mothoa must explain how this money landed in his bank account,” one colleague, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday.

“This time, they went very far. The legislature must come clean and explain who authorised the payment, what hold does the receiver have on the legislature and what does the legislature stand to benefit from this wayward transaction,” said one ANC bigwig in Polokwane, who also asked for his name to be withheld for fear of reprisal.

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This week, the legislature said the matter had been blown out of proportion. Aaron Mashegoana, human resources manager in the legislature, said: “The payment was a system error due to system transition.

“The payment was for leave gratuities paid in terms of policies for any employee leaving the institution and was not a salary as incorrectly stated.”

Mashegoana said the money was recovered through gratuities like any other overpayment that might occur. “This was not deliberate, as explained, because overpayments and underpayments do happen in any institution,” he said.

Asked for comment, Mothoa said upon realising that he had been mistakenly paid, he contacted the legislature, which he said had advised the payment should be reversed.

“We then opted for the money to be returned to the account of the legislature the following month, when I was paid money due to me for my services throughout the years I have been serving at the legislature,” he added.

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Mothoa said there was no corruption as had been alleged, but that it was an honest mistake by the legislature. “My hands are clean and there is nothing untoward about the transaction.”

Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo Captain Matimba Maluleke confirmed that a case of corruption had been opened in line with the allegations. “We can confirm that we are indeed investigating allegations of corruption at the Limpopo legislature.

“The case was opened in January at the Lebowakgomo police station and investigations are currently under way,” said Maluleke.