Govt spokesperson to take suspension battle to court
Provincial Government spokesperson Phuti Seloba is not going to take perceived attempts to harm his credibility lying down. The brewing battle that characterises his precautionary suspension amid a pending investigation instituted against him this week is expected to end in court. “People are trying to harm my credibility and that’s what I’m not going to …
Provincial Government spokesperson Phuti Seloba is not going to take perceived attempts to harm his credibility lying down. The brewing battle that characterises his precautionary suspension amid a pending investigation instituted against him this week is expected to end in court.
“People are trying to harm my credibility and that’s what I’m not going to take lying down,” Seloba emphasised when speaking to Polokwane Observer on Tuesday evening, after news of his suspension following allegations of misconduct reportedly levelled against him broke that afternoon. He indicated that the union he belonged to was taking the matter of suspension further while his lawyers were working on a case of alleged defamation.
Seloba furnished Polokwane Observer with documents pertaining to the issue, insisting that he had not made any representations as yet as per reference in a letter from Limpopo Director-General Nape Nchabeleng dated Tuesday. He stressed that he was still waiting to be furnished with the allegations against him and that it had never been put to him. “I wrote a letter asking for the allegations against me and next thing got suspended,” Seloba said. He included a copy of the letter in the correspondence made available to Polokwane Observer. The documents include a letter dated last Wednesday inviting him to make written representations on allegations of misconduct. “The battle is far from over,” Seloba remarked in conclusion.
Premier’s spokesperson Kenny Mathivha stated in a media alert issued Tuesday afternoon that Seloba’s precautionary suspension with immediate effect “comes after several allegations of adverse nature apportioned to Mr Seloba are said to have been made on several platforms in the past. These allegations involve the Premier and his Members of the Executive Council (MECs)”.
He continued stating that Seloba would be given an opportunity to respond during the investigation process. According to Mathivha the Provincial Government would leave no stone unturned in its investigations and expressed appreciation for the time and space given to the organs of state and to Seloba.
Yesterday (Wednesday) morning he informed Polokwane Observer telephonically that Seloba has made representations via a letter and that the Provincial Government’s legal team perused it, hence Seloba was placed on precautionary suspension pending the investigations. He added that the outcome of the investigation would guide them on the next step.
Story: YOLANDE NEL
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