JUSTIN ARENSTEIN, Nelspruit | Wednesday
A MAN found by a commission to have tried to derail internal probes into licence fraud irregularities in 1997, being unable to control his staff, attempting to cover up for their inadequacies by doing their work, and not having managerial ability has been appointed to the most powerful administrative position in Mpumalanga.
Advocate Stanley Soko beat 65 other highly qualified candidates for the key director general position, provincial premier Ndaweni Mahlangu announced, despite his indictment in the Moldenhauer Commission report into licence corruption in 1997.
Soko was not directly implicated in corruption, but Chief Magistrate Heinrich Moldenhauer, who chaired the commission, insisted it would be irresponsible to allow him to continue managing taxpayer funds.
Soko headed Mpumalanga’s safety and security department at the time and admitted to his ineffectual management and his fear of politicians during public testimony.
“[Government] must investigate the possibility of transferring Soko to a post where he will not be in control of a department or [even] a division. If this is not possible, the commission recommends that Soko be discharged from the public service,” said Moldenhauer.
Soko was instead put on probation for a couple of months before being re-appointed as departmental head.
Mpumalanga’s previous director general, Coleman Nyathi, was forced to resign earlier this year after press reports exposed his doctorate in administration as a useless ‘mail order’ degree from an uncertified British university.
Nyathi’s citizenship is also currently under investigation after a Home Affairs probe found he was an illegal Zimbabwean migrant to South Africa using fake identity documents.
Mahlangu dismissed possible public perceptions that Soko was either ineffective or tainted and insisted “he is currently performing wonderfully.”
Soko’s appointment is the second time Mahlangu has dismissed the findings of the Moldenhauer Commission. He plunged his administration into crisis just days after winning the premiership by appointing Steve Mabona as public works, roads, transport, safety and security MEC despite his damning indictment in the 1997 licence scandal.
The commission found that Mabona played a key role in issuing fraudulent learners’ and drivers’ licences to parliament deputy speaker Baleka Mbete-Kgositsile, lied to the commission, misled legislature, undermined good governance, victimised whistleblowers and was not fit to hold public office.
Mabona avoided dismissal by immediately resigning and becoming a legislature backbencher. – African Eye News Service