DUBE TradePort Corporation (DTPC) announced yesterday that it had fired chief executive officer, Saxen van Coller, after she failed to disclose her criminal record.
What’s more, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government project said it would charge Van Coller with fraud. She was suspended in February pending the outcome of a disciplinary process.
In a press release issued yesterday, the DTPC board said that Van Collen was dismissed during a special board meeting on 15 June. “The disciplinary process found that Van Coller, (amongst other necessary disclosures), failed to disclose previous criminal offences and a previous criminal conviction prior to being appointed for the position of CEO. The board agreed that this was sufficient grounds for dismissal,” they said.
“The board views this non-disclosure in a very serious light. Van Coller’s failure to disclose her criminal record prior to employment at DTPC is not only a serious misrepresentation; it also directly undermines the corporation’s commitment to good corporate governance and integrity,” they added.
Hamish Erskine, who has been a DTPC employee since 2003, has been assigned as the acting CEO and will continue with his role until the board completes the process of appointing a new CEO.