Suspended CSA CEO Gerald Majola.
“Mr Majola is within his rights as an individual to use the parameters of the law,” Mbalula told the media at a municipal conference on sport and recreation in Pretoria.
“It is guaranteed to him by the Constitution of our country and so he deems it fit to proceed in that particular manner.
“He is safeguarding his integrity and has every right to do so.”
Mbalula was commenting after Majola reportedly failed in his bid to remove John Myburgh as the independent chairperson of his disciplinary hearing.
Nicholas Preston, an associate at Glyn Marais, CSA’s lawyers, was quoted as saying in Monday’s Business Day they expected further possible delays to the process after Majola’s objection to Myburgh was turned down.
Fundamental questions
Mbalula said, “If we renege on what we agreed upon with CSA, in terms of the Nicholson recommendations, then that should be the fundamental question. Thus far, there is no deviation on the part of CSA … so everything is in motion.”
Majola was suspended in March after R4.7-million in bonuses were paid to CSA staff without clearance from the board or the remuneration committee.
Following an inquiry chaired by retired judge Chris Nicholson, he now faces a disciplinary hearing which Mbalula had hoped would be completed by the end of the month, but further delays were expected.
“If the May 31 passes and I believe that everything else is about dragging the feet, I will definitely say so, but we have not reached that, so I will wait to make an overall evaluation,” Mbalula said.
“There are many things we have agreed upon, like the [CSA] steering committee, which is working well, so I don’t want to speak about something that I don’t have a have a report about. I must dig into the facts and then formulate a comprehensive response.” – Sapa