The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ) has slapped its suspended deputy Director General for corporate services, Conny Mametja, with charges of insubordination and plotting against her boss, Director General Doctor Mashabane.
The charges were confirmed to Sunday World by DoJ Minister Thembi Simelane’s spokesperson, Tsekiso Machike.
Mametja will appear before a disciplinary hearing on Monday.
The charges also come during a week when an audio recording of a union leader Peter Masango in the department confesses to being part of the plot with Mametja to see Mashabane’s backside.
Union involved in saga
Just last week, trade union Nehawu joined the bandwagon with it’s secretary at DoJ, Masango calling for Mametja’s suspension to be lifted.
Masango alleged that the DG was processing Mametja because she had previously accused him of sexual harassment.
The leaked audio recording implicating Masango suggests that he was involved in the plot to cook sexual harassment charges against Mashabane.
Audio recordings
Masango is heard in the audio recording admitting to another union leader that the allegations against Mashabane were “baseless”.
Masango goes on to admit that he was a friend of Mametja, who told him that she was upset at Mashabane.
The head honchos at DoJ, according to Machike, were unaware of Masango and Mametja’s friendship. But he added that Mashabane’s strong denials comforted the minister.
“The DG has always maintained that the allegations were baseless and without any merit,” said Machike.
In the recording, Masango concedes to an unidentified Public Service Association (PSA) union leader that he has no evidence against Mashabane.
“I came to you to check if, in terms of your members, there is anything you have. Because I do not want us to run in silos when we have the same enemy (Mashabane),” said Masango.
“There is nothing that we can do because this thing is baseless.”
Accusations baseless without evidence
The PSA leader warned Masango about the perception of unions uniting against Mashabane without evidence.
“These things have the potential to damage people’s reputations. And we cannot run with things that will blow up in our faces. The damage of unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations is too big to imagine,” said the leader.
The two shop stewards then persuade one another not to pursue claims without evidence. Both acknowledge that one of them might one day become “trapped” in false accusations of sexual harassment.
According to the two, there was widespread gossip in the corridor office about Mashabane. The rumour was that he is having affairs with female staffers. But none of them could confirm this.
Masango had apparently wanted to ask his friend Mametja. But he could not meet her because she was dealing with a robbery case.
“Conny told me that she tried to ask the DG to leave work early to deal with the issue. But the DG refused. She is very angry with the DG, but unfortunately that is her manager. But if I were the DG, I was going to allow her to leave early,” said Masango.
PSA’s caution against meddling
The PSA unionist cautions Masango that unions stay clear of personal tiffs between senior managers and exco members. They must instead focus on the work of representing junior staff members in labour-related disputes.
Masango agrees, but adds that even executive members like Mametja have rights.
“But if Conny has issues with the DG, she must report those and say she was not treated well. She must lodge a formal grievance like other people, so that the union can get involved.”
No formal complaint lodged against DG by suspended deputy
Other than the anonymous letters that have been circulating, Mametja has never lodged a formal complaint against Mashabane.
Masango then admits that phone calls from Mametja who gossips about Mashabane are an attempt to influence him against the DG.
The two shop stewards end their conversation with Masango. The latter (Masango) admits that he had never reached out to Mashabane to hear his side of the story and “guide him”.
Masango refused to comment, while Mametja could not be reached for comment.
South Africa is a mess because the BEE culture and mindset requires this sort of behaviour. If people were appointed to achieve goals and remunerated on performance they’d go to work to do just that.
Instead, it is all about trying to trip up the next guy to fix him and get his job while ignoring all other responsibilities.
Cry the beloved country