DoC “desperate” to get rid of whistle-blower
Communications director general Rosey Sekese seemed “desperate” to get rid of whistle-blower, Wisani Ngobeni, when the latter started reporting irregularities at the department.
This is according to the court ruling surrounding Ngobeni’s application for protection, following him blowing the whistle on alleged tender fraud to the value of R756 million
Ngobeni, former communications minister Dina Pule’s spin doctor, submitted information to the labour courts in a bid to seek protection from a separate court processes investigating his ‘improper’ appointment of another service provider.
According to Ngobeni’s submissions, Sekese signed off multiple payments as part of a R756 million publicity campaign with Media Corner, intended to create awareness about digital terrestrial television.
These payments include:
- Advertising expenditure of R756 million over a period of three years;
- A monthly retainer of R983,335.67 without any billable activities;
- An annual retainer fee of R11.8 million inclusive of VAT;
- “Airport Advertising” worth over R1 million;
- A “Talk Show” contract for an amount of R9.5 million.
Some of the contracts did not go through proper tender processes, according to Ngobeni, and amounts paid to Media Corner had already surpassed R40 million.
It was reported on the weekend that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) raided the offices of the Department of Communications and seized computers in relation to its probe of the publicity tender.
Desperation
Rosey Sekese
While the judge ruling on Ngobeni’s case did not grant him protection from allegations made around his conduct prior to the whistle-blowing, it was noted that there was clear desperation in attempts to get rid of him.
“I have no doubt in my mind that from the moment that the applicant had made a disclosure to Nkwe and Vilakazi, attempts to push him out of the department were relentless, and at times, bordered on the desperate,” the judge said.
“Sekese in particular appeared to be more desperate to remove the applicant from the department.”
Following disclosures made by Ngobeni, efforts were made to redeploy him back to the DG’s office in the Free State, but the move was blocked due to the office being unable to accomodate him.
Ngobeni was then stripped of his powers, and efforts were made to deny him access to his office.
Additionally, during this time, an advert was hastily pushed out to fill Ngobeni’s position, even though court processes were still underway.
Ngobeni also submitted that in a meeting with Communications Minister Carrim, the minister indicated that “some powerful people within the department did not want him (Ngobeni)” and were putting pressure on the minister to re-deploy him.
“In my view, these desperate measures could not have ended with a simple reinstatement of the applicant into his position,” the judge said.
More on DoC and Ngobeni
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