In the middle of a disciplinary process for procurement irregularities, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s secretary-general, Dr Sifiso Maseko, has quit his high-paying job at the Gauteng Department of Health, after being suspended on full pay for over two years.
Maseko, who served as the chief director of infrastructure development at the department, abruptly resigned in August 2024, according to a Gauteng legislature reply to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Jack Bloom last month, after earning approximately R4.5 million while sitting at home since he was suspended on 26 January 2022.
The estimated remuneration was calculated at a provincial chief director’s package of around R1,436,022 per year, roughly a gross of R120,000 per month, a senior government HR official told The South African.
His departure from the Gauteng Department of Health came roughly a month after he was unveiled as “CEO” of the Jacob Zuma-led MK Party.
He, along with Dr Medupe Modisane (clinical manager) and Ayanda Qolohle (project manager), were suspended for financial misconduct in early 2022 after a report by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). Modisane and Qolohle are currently being subjected to disciplinary hearings, while Maseko’s process has halted due to his resignation.
Enormous cost to taxpayers
Speaking to The South African, Bloom bemoaned the long duration of the suspensions and cost to taxpayers.
“It is disgraceful that this is dragging on for so long, costing millions of rands paying for the suspended officials.
“I estimate their total salaries while suspended to be about R8 million,” said the DA member of the provincial legislature in Gauteng.
The practice of suspension, with full pay, has weighed heavily on taxpayers in recent years.
In October 2023, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) said there were 417 government officials on suspensions with full pay, earning over R128 million with no work done.
This was up from 2022, when DPSA put the number of government officials sitting at home at 305.
Delays in disciplinary process
Two months ago, Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba referred all queries regarding the three suspended officials to Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s spokesperson, Vuyo Mhaga, saying it was being handled out of the Office of the Premier.
Mhaga subsequently indicated that Modisane, Qolohle and Maseko’s disciplinary proceedings were nearing finality after back-and-forth submissions and arguments.
“The hearing is in the last phase which requires parties to conclude on written submissions [arguments followed by an opportunity to refute arguments and finally the right to reply to new arguments], which commenced on 5 August 2024 and is anticipated to be concluded on 25 September 2024,” Mhaga said on 23 August 2024.
Lesufi’s office in sixes and sevens over Maseko
Queried this week about the current status of Modisane and Qolohle’s suspensions and disciplinary proceedings, along with Maseko’s status, an official in the premier’s office – Mohlalefi Lebotha – said the hearings were concluded on “31 September [sic]” for all three, and that they were awaiting a verdict from the hearing chairperson.
Lebotha was seemingly unaware that Gauteng Department of Health had told the legislature that Maseko had resigned.
Upon being presented with the information that Maseko had left, Lebotha said: “The response I gave is from our Integrity Unit who are responsible for the ongoing disciplinary hearing. We’ll have to confirm the resignation with the [Gauteng health] department.”
At the time of publishing, a confirmation had not yet been received, nor had a final figure on the amounts earned by all three officials from day of suspension to date.
SIU probes SG of MK Party Sifiso Maseko and others
The SIU probed the irregular procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) by the Gauteng health department during the National State of Disaster from various service providers.
The SIU recommended that disciplinary and criminal action be taken against three department officials, which include Maseko (who went by the name Goodhope, not Sifiso), and six officials from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development.
Disciplinary charges against Maseko and the others were brought, over the flouting of procurement and contractor-appointment regulations.
This was in relation to the AngloGold Ashanti Hospital refurbishment project in the West Rand, where the Gauteng government spent over R588 million, instead of the initially budgeted R50 million.
The South African sent questions and requests for comment to Maseko and two MK Party spokespersons. No responses have been received.
Should employees pay back their salaries if they resign after long suspensions?
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