Johnathan Paoli
THE Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training said it is outraged at the persistent denial of governance irregularities and attempted justification for controversial “bench-marking” trip by the Construction, Education and Training Authority (CETA)’s Chief Executive Officer, Malusi Shezi, who also claims their appearance before the committee was based on unfounded rumours.
Officials from CETA, the Services Sector, Education and Training Authority (SSETA) and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) appeared before the committee on Friday, to account for issues including audit action plans to rectify the findings of the 2022/23 audit, employee wellness and allegations of corruption and governance irregularities.
Shezi was joined by Acting Chief Financial Office (CFO) Sanele Radebe, Accounting member of the AA Roy Mnisi and Executive Officer for Strategic Support, Mabo Thobela.
The CETA representatives delivered a report to the committee, justifying the “bench-marking” trip as crucially part of its Research and Innovation focus area and denied the allegations of corruption saying there is no substance to them.
The trip, punted as a study of best practices by board members in order to improve operations and sustainability at the institution, was reportedly expected to last 24 days at a cost of R4 million, with an additional subsistence and travel allowance of approximately R250 000.
The report indicated that the trip was postponed and not cancelled, as CETA was still planning to share strategic intent with the Executive Authority.
Shezi, said the allegations of corruption and governance irregularities, were the product of a media strategy to tarnish the reputation of the institution’s Accounting Authority (AA) and his own office.
However, Committee Chair Tebogo Letsie said he found the comments from the CETA executive distasteful and disrespectful, considering it was the committee’s mandate to hold those who use public funds accountable.
Letsie criticised the planned trip, and said the committee found it constitutes wasteful expenditure, in light of the fact that the present board’s time of office comes to an end on 31 March next year, asking who their newly-acquired skills would serve.
“It looks more like a holiday, that must not happen,” he said.
The chair said the countries targeted for bench-marking were not known for best practices in the construction sector, and those include Kenya, Egypt, the UK, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
“We are going to write officially to the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Director-General that the CETA bench-marking trip must be cancelled as the terms of the board are coming to an end,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mimmy Gondwe commended the Portfolio Committee for cancelling the trip.
“We are not in a favourable economic climate as a country, and what kind of message are our entities saying by taking such a trip?,” asked Gondwe.
Further, Letsie said the committee remained concerned that the SSETA had received a qualified audit opinion for four consecutive years since the 2018/19 financial year, while governance challenges had resulted in CETA being placed under administration in 2011 and 2020, with subsequent dissolution of the relevant boards.
The committee recommended that the DG responsible for CETAs should face the consequences if they were unable to deal with the problems under their portfolio.
Meanwhile, NEHAWU representative and Secretary for the union’s CETA branch, Olebogeng Tsitsi, told the committee of widespread bullying and victimisation saying she even felt scared for criticising the CEO.
“I would like it put on record, us being here as shop stewards, we might find our suspension letters on Monday,” she said.
Tsitsi said at CETA, the relationship between the board, NEHAWU and management is non-existent and that a recognition agreement which was signed in 2019, the CEO did not follow.
She said Shezi was running an “apartheid-like” institution involving intimidation, bullying of staff, harassment and changing policies as he saw fit.
Earlier in the month, the union welcomed the suspension of Shezi, following allegations of interference and misconduct by the board relating to procurement processes at the institution.
In closing, Letsie called for an instant pause in the issuing of adverts calling for nominations for new board members until the current board provides the committee with reports on current governance challenges.
The chair demanded a list of all senior executives including their professional history dating back ten years.
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