Newly appointed Independent Development Trust (IDT) board chairperson Zimbini Hill has issued a stern written warning to CEO Tebogo Malaka, accusing her of breaching protocol by bypassing the board and minister to lay a direct complaint with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Hill, who was appointed last month by Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, rebuked Malaka for her April 7 letter to Ramaphosa and his deputy, Paul Mashatile, that raised alarm over Hill’s appointment and accused political leadership of meddling in IDT affairs.
“You are hereby given a written warning in that you have breached protocol by writing directly to the president…bypassing the board of trustees and the minister,” warned Hill.
“Should you commit the same offence or any other offence within six months… further disciplinary action will be taken against you.”
Malaka’s complaint to Ramaphosa questioned the legitimacy of Hill’s re-appointment. “The conflicted re-appointment of Hill as chairperson… is concerning, citing unresolved allegations and a history of misconduct.”
Malaka also detailed a fraught relationship with Hill. “My working relationship with her had already deteriorated… I had formally lodged two separate grievances against Ms Hill… citing professional misconduct and a strained working relationship. These grievances were never substantively addressed.”
She further wrote: “Hill responded… declaring she had lost confidence in my leadership as CEO and was considering disciplinary action against me. Hill subsequently tendered her resignation amid the unresolved grievances and the breakdown of our professional rapport.”
Malaka questioned why would Hill, who resigned under a cloud of unresolved allegation and explicitly stated a loss of confidence in the CEO, be considered for reinstatement into a structure wherein mutual trust is foundational.
“It is also relevant to note that Ms Hill was previously removed from the board of a Sita entity by the then minister of communications, Honourable Mondli Gungubele. This precedent raises further concerns about the appropriateness of her ongoing involvement in state institutions,” she said.
Malaka also drummed up her achievements at the helm of the IDT, which plays a critical role in the delivery of social infrastructure across the country. “From a near-closure position in 2021, the organisation has been successfully repositioned through a comprehensive turnaround strategy under my leadership and that of the board appointed in July 2021,” she said.
This turnaround, she said, included growth in the IDT portfolio to R9-billion, the highest in over a decade; programme expenditure exceeding R4-billion, matching historic highs; and improved stakeholder confidence through professionalisation and recruitment of highly skilled professionals.
“Mr Honourable President, in light of these cumulative and escalating concerns, I respectfully request your immediate intervention in the following: Revoke the reappointment of Ms Zimbini Hill as a trustee and chairperson of the IDT board. Furthermore, her appointment as the chairperson of the board was predetermined. The attendance register circulated during the MinMec (minister and members of executive council) of the 27th of March 2025 included Ms Hill as the chairperson of the board despite the fact that the nomination of the board chair was not done yet.”
She continued: “Institute an independent inquiry into the appointment process for the new IDT board of trustees expected to assume office in July 2025. This troubling history raises serious questions about the impartiality and legitimacy of the current appointment process and calls into question whether due governance protocols and ethical standards are being upheld.”
In response, Hill’s written warning makes clear the board sees Malaka’s actions as a serious breach.
The warning letter will remain in Malaka’s HR file for six months, with further disciplinary action threatened if she repeats the offence.
