The Democratic Alliance has called for an inquiry into how an official working in the Office of the Presidency was suspended, dismissed, reappointed and once again suspended.
DA MP and social development spokesperson Mike Waters said on Wednesday this was revealed in a written reply to a parliamentary question.
The official, who he named as Ms T Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, worked in the Presidency dealing with the Rights of the Child.
She was initially suspended in 2003 and later dismissed on charges of forgery, irregular payments, general mismanagement and non-compliance with a memorandum of understanding between a state-owned enterprise and the Office of the Rights of the Child, he said.
”Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was later re-employed in the president’s office and has been suspended once again for serious misconduct including gross insubordination and bringing the Presidency into disrepute.
”The mind boggles that a person who was found guilty of such serious offences was actually allowed back into the employ of the state, let alone in the Office of the Presidency.”
Waters said he intends asking follow-up questions regarding how Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was shortlisted and re-employed.
”I cannot believe that the calibre of person applying for the job was so bad that Mkhwanazi-Xaluva emerged the winning candidate.
”What kind of example does she send to children given the seriousness of her charges? The people working at the Office of the Rights of the Child should be of the utmost integrity.
”It seems Ms T Mkhwanazi-Xaluva may have friends in high places,” Waters said. – Sapa