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Premier must release report on Transport MEC

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Dear MyPE

It has been more than eight months since Premier Oscar Mabuyane requested the Provincial Treasury to investigate several allegations against Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe.

The Premier cannot continue to drag his feet on this matter. There must be zero tolerance for corruption and maladministration if we are to build a capable state!

What are you hiding, Mr Premier?

In response to a parliamentary question posed in November last year, Premier Mabuyane confirmed that a draft report had been compiled, but that the report was being referred to the MEC and Department for comment before being finalised.

How much time does the Premier intend to give the MEC to respond?

The investigation was requested by the Premier after the MEC and her Department were implicated in several instances where public funds have allegedly been abused.

These include:

  • The use of the Miorca Lodge, belonging to the MEC’s daughter, as a quarantine venue as well as being used to host Department of Transport Officials for over a year.
  • Allegations of her Department abusing Covid-19 funds, by paying inflated prices for hand sanitisers.
  • Improper procurement of Bailey bridges, and
  • improper conduct in the expenditure for the funeral service of the Centane bus accident victims.

MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe has still failed to act on the report compiled by the Public Service Commission (PSC) into allegations of irregular appointment of staff, consultants and contractors in her Department.

In August last year, it was reported that the MEC had been recorded admitting using the Department’s deputy director-general, Lomex Sisilana, to hire staff into senior positions.

The Public Protector has also confirmed that they are investigating three separate cases against the MEC.

If the Premier is truly committed to instilling a culture of good and clean cooperate governance, he needs to release the report findings and take action against MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe.

Regards

Marshall von Buchenroder

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Port Elizabethan

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