The Mpumalanga Premier could be directly involved in the flawed appointment of trainee traffic officers, according to the DA.
Ms Trudie Grovè-Morgan, spokesman on Community Safety, Security and Liaison, issued a press release on Thursday, 18 March in this regard.
According to her, the HOD of Community, Safety and Liaison in Mpumalanga, Ms Busisiwe Nkuna, has indirectly linked Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane in the illegal appointment of trainee traffic officers.
The statement referred to early January when the Department of Community, Safety and Liaison approved and enrolled 125 trainee traffic officers in the Mpumalanga Traffic Training College.
It later emerged that the recruitment processes were procedurally and fatally flawed. There were allegations of nepotism and corruption as friends, girlfriends and children of Mpumalanga politicians were included in the programme without interviews or following proper procedures.
The statement went on to say that after an outcry by the public and opposition parties, Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane released a statement on January 14, cancelling the learnership programme.
In the statement the premier admitted that the processes, undertaken by the department to recruit the 125, were procedurally and fatally flawed.
“She said she directed the Department of Community, Safety and Liaison to immediately nullify the programme and recommence with a proper and effective process,” Ms Grové-Morgan said.
According to her, the department had not yet nullified the programme, nor withdrew the learners by the beginning of March.
Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane sent a letter to Ms Nkuna on 9 March, asking her to provide a detailed written explanation on why disciplinary action should not be instituted and proceeded with against her for failing to withdraw the learners from the college.
In her response letter to Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane, which was signed on 12 March, Ms Nkuna said she did not get an official written letter from the premier or MEC, Mr Vusi Shongwe, to officially nullify the programme as required by Section 140 of the Constitution.
According to her, she was summoned to the home of Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane in Midrand, where she was given a list to also include the 125 trainee traffic officers who were supposed to be recruited.
According to the DA, in her letter to the Premier, she asked Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane the following question:
“I have unanswered questions that bother me. Am I being persecuted because the premier, through Mr N. Molekoa, gave me a list of names of candidates that the panel needed to recommend, irrespective of the fact that they did not qualify? Is this why you want me dismissed simply because I could not appoint your candidates who did not qualify?”
The DA said Ms Nkuna must be protected from the premier who failed to implement Section 140 of the Constitution.
