Mukoni T Ratshitanga
A senior Gauteng transport department official is facing 10 charges of misconduct after an internal probe found he held a taxi permit despite his position as the province’s chief negotiator with taxi associations.
In April, the former MEC for transport ordered that Lennox Magwaza be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, but he is still departmental director for public and urban transport and chairs a joint forum between the government and the taxi industry.
Magwaza’s duties include the regulation of the taxi industry and the implementation of Operation Thiba, the government’s campaign to end taxi violence.
Gauteng Premier Mathole Motshekga relaunched Operation Thiba last month after it collapsed late last year. But last week Magwaza fired 34 temporary administrative employees. Other senior staffers responsible for registering taxis were also removed – leaving the operation with 16 junior staffers.
Magwaza originally owned two permits, but cancelled one in 1994. “The second permit,” reads the report, “was only cancelled on February 9 1998.
“This was only after Deon Swanepoel, a consultant, started to make inquiries. Magwaza felt that the existence of his permit was going to create problems.”
A transport department corporate services official, Mgcineni ka Mhlayivana wrote in the report: “During my interview with Eric Wise [chief director of transport management], he informed me that on numerous occasions he raised the issue of [taxi] permits with Magwaza and that he [Magwaza] consistently denied having any active permits or involvement in the taxi industry.
“However … Magwaza informed me that from the time he was appointed by the department, he never made his ownership of taxi permits a secret and that he has declared this information as this was his democratic right.”
But department head Jack van der Merwe last week said he never knew that Magwaza was a taxi owner.
The Mail & Guardian has a copy of one of Magwaza’s taxi permits issued in August 1991. It details Magwaza’s address, vehicle registration number and his allocated route.
In a letter, former MEC for transport Paul Mashatile instructed Van der Merwe to suspend Magwaza on April 23: “Magwaza is now required to attend a disciplinary hearing for charges of misconduct on May 15.
“Please ensure that Magwaza is suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary hearing. The suspension must be effected by the end of next week, ie, week ending 1 May.”
But Magwaza was not suspended, nor was there a hearing. Van der Merwe said it would take place soon.
Staff this week complained about the delay, accusing senior management of covering up. Said one official: “Magwaza is a survivor. I don’t think this hearing will take place. However, Van der Merwe must also accompany him to the hearing for ignoring Mashatile’s instructions.”
Last year, the Gauteng public service commission probed allegations of nepotism against Magwaza. It was claimed he had employed his wife, younger brother and members of his church in the department.
However, investigating officer Jayson Sishuba cleared Magwaza of any wrongdoing. Vincent Mtambo, then provincial director general, queried Sishuba’s findings.
Sishuba said: “I know that Mtambo was not particularly happy with my recommendations.”
Other charges in Mhlayivana’s report include that Magwaza threatened junior staff with dismissal, plotted to assault another transport official and was “grossly discourteous” to staff at a meeting.
It cites “the intimidation of Willem van Lingen by Magwaza when he questioned Mrs Magwaza about her absence from work for two weeks without proper authorisation. Van Lingen was threatened [with] his promotional opportunities being withheld.
“I am left with one conclusion: that [Magwaza’s] directorate is mismanaged.”
Magwaza could not be reached for comment.