Ann Eveleth
The Johannesburg High Court battle over Transnet’s suspension of Joe Ndhlela ended this week in defeat for the executive director. Ndhlela’s bid to overturn his suspension was dismissed with costs. He faces an inquiry into charges of bugging, weapons possession and corruption.
Ndhlela’s court bid made public the disciplinary charges Transnet had refused to disclose. The charge sheet in the court records lists the allegations Ndhlela will have to answer when his inquiry resumes, including:
* The authorisation of “unlawful surveillance and bugging techniques and devices … on company premises and in offices”;
* The taking and retaining possession of company firearms in his office without the requisite certificates and contrary to company policy;
* Causing or allowing his own human resource file in Transnet’s records to be destroyed or placed out of the company’s possession;
* Failure to disclose a “pecuniary interest” in a transaction in which Credit Life Management Services allegedly paid Ndhlela R750 000 for implementation of the Transnet Funeral Benefit Scheme, underwritten by XB Brokers, a firm now in liquidation;
* Failure to disclose other directorships including that of Screenworld (Pty) Ltd, and transactions concluded with companies associated with Management Integration Consultants;
* Authorisation of two Transnet payments totalling R146 000 to recruitment agency Insearch Practitioners in respect of Transnet’s hiring of two employees, Dr D Mkatshwa and Nelson Ndinisa, who had been hired internally;
* Authorisation of a Transnet payment of R100 000 to recruitment agency Executive Resources for the recruitment in December 1996 of a director/executive director of Transnet – a post not on offer at the time.
Ndhlela’s hearing resumes on November 3. Transnet will consider his removal as a director of the parastatal on November 6.