The board of the National Land Committee (NLC) and its affiliates are investigating the NLC’s best-known official, Zakes Hlatshwayo, CEO of its national office in Johannesburg.
But the accusations against Hlatshwayo remain a mystery.
The investigation, which began in September, is allegedly based on concerns raised by members of some of the affiliated land-rights organisations about Hlatshwayo after the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
An investigation into the legitimacy of the allegations was concluded at the end of October and Hlatshwayo’s disciplinary hearing began on Thursday.
The board confirmed on Wednesday that Hlatshwayo would face a disciplinary hearing, but refused to say what it was about. Board chairperson Wayne Jordaan said: ”The relationship between the national office and the network of affiliates is such that the specific charges are not open for discussion to the public until the investigation is complete.”
Concerns have been raised by land activists that Hlatshwayo had not been told of the terms of reference of the investigation, and was instructed by the board not to talk to the press under threat of suspension.
”The investigation seems to be about nothing tangible, but a threat to get rid of all of us,” said an insider who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Jordaan said the board had instructed Hlatshwayo not to speak to the press, to assist the investigation and to ”avoid untruths before they arose”. He said Hlatshwayo would be suspended if he interfered with the investigation.
”We believe Hlatshwayo was informed as much as possible about the conditions of the investigation.”
There are fears among land activists that the investigation is an attempt to ”immobilise and paralyse the Landless People’s Movement [LPM]”.
The formation of the LPM in 2001 was influenced by the NLC. However, the NLC is an independent NGO that aims to secure land rights for people.
The investigation follows alleged attempts by some affiliate members to disrupt the LPM proceedings in the build-up to the summit.
Butizi Hlatshwayo, the LPM representative in Mpumalanga for the NLC, said The Rural Action Committee (Trac), an NLC affiliate in the province, ”was working with the [African National Congress] to crush the LPM by disrupting their meetings”.
Chris Williams, director of Trac Mpumalanga, denied any attempt to disrupt LPM plans for the summit.
”The NLC and Trac are apolitical. There were no deliberate ANC efforts to disrupt the LPM,” he said.
”We are working hard to solve the matter of the investigation to ensure that the LPM remains a legitimate structure in land reform.”
Jordaan said: ”Our role as the board is to ensure good governance and that the interests of our employees are being met, which is what we are doing.” He confirmed that the disciplinary hearing would be complete by the end of January or the middle of February.