The presence of Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka at the heart of Mpumalanga’s government this week has set tongues wagging, as it coincided with a damning
complaint lodged against education MEC Cathy Dlamini.
Gcaleka’s visit to the Riverside Government Complex in the capital city, Mbombela, on Wednesday, was officially to engage Premier Mandla Ndlovu and his MECs on how political principals should handle complaints emerging from within the provincial government.
However, with allegations of political interference against Dlamini now sitting before her office, speculation is rife about whether the visit had deeper implications.
EFF provincial leader Collen Sedibe recently submitted a formal complaint against Dlamini, accusing her of abusing her position by interfering in procurement and human resource
processes. In his submission, Sedibe alleged that one of Dlamini’s first acts as MEC was to cancel all tenders awarded before her arrival.
Sedibe further claimed that Dlamini personally pushed for the appointment of an IT company to handle network connections in schools and circuit offices, despite it allegedly failing to meet the required criteria.
He also accused the MEC of sidelining qualifying bidders in the school nutrition programme tender to install service providers of her choice.
The complaint is now before the Public Protector’s office, with spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe confirming receipt of the submission.
“The Public Protector South Africa can confirm that it has received the complaint, and that the matter is currently being assessed,” he said. However, he declined to comment regarding the handling of complaints or any supporting evidence submitted.
Dlamini was among the MECs who met with Gcaleka and Ndlovu at the complex on Wednesday. While it remains unclear whether the complaint against her was discussed, an education department official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said tension was high following the meeting.
“The MEC’s office went silent after the visit. People are feeling like targets now because they don’t know whether what was said in that meeting affects them or not,” the official said.
Despite the unease in some government corridors, Ndlovu appeared satisfied with the engagement, assuring Gcaleka that his administration was committed to resolving complaints referred to her office.
“Government has committed to ensure that all complaints will be addressed without fail, underscoring its dedication to transparency and accountability,” he said.
The Public Protector is yet to decide whether to formally investigate the allegations against Dlamini but the case has already sparked debate about governance within the
education department. If a full probe is launched, it could have serious consequences for
the MEC.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the department had not been formally informed about the complaint.
“Nonetheless, an investigation would be appreciated, as it would provide clarity and help resolve the issue.”