Popular ANC activist and director at the department of Transport, Esethu Hasane is fearing for his life after reporting his superior and HR boss to the office of the public protector.
This was revealed by Hasane’s family in what they termed as a bold move to go to the chapter nine institution after nine months of persecution at the department.
Hasane lodged the complaint to Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka to probe his immediate supervisor, Collen Msibi, and the Chief Director of Human Resources at the department, Philisiwe Gcina.
Workplace harassment
According to Hasane, the two have been at the forefront of a workplace harassment against him that has spanned nine months.
“The family of Mr. Esethu Hasane, a Senior Manager at the Department of Transport, wishes to express deep concern regarding his health and safety, following a nine-month-long period of workplace harassment which led to his hospitalisation earlier this year,” announced Hasane’s family in a statement.
“The family welcomes Mr. Hasane’s decision to formally report the matter to the Public Protector and the Public Service Commission as a measure to prevent the said people from any threats they may further pose.”
Hasane’s decision, said the family, came after a grievance process within the department “which confirmed allegations that Mr. Msibi authored and circulated a fraudulent letter under the guise of an anonymous source calling for Mr. Hasane’s dismissal from the public service are substantiated”.
Incriminating letter
Sunday World has seen the letter in question, which calls for Hasane’s head for exercising his constitutional right for freedom of expression.
The letter, sent to Minister Barbara Creecy nine months ago, says Hasane must bite the dust for partaking in a protest action opposing the formation of the GNU.
That was after Hasane participated in a protest outside Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni last year, where the ANC NEC was discussing the formation of the GNU.
He, as an ANC member, expressed his opposition to his party going to bed with the DA.
The letter penned by Msibi as alleged by Hasane’s family said his actions outside the NEC NEC meeting venue had brought the Department of Transport into disrepute.
“Following this, Mr. Msibi approached the Human Resources unit with a printed copy of the same letter, pretending it’s foreign to him, seeking to initiate disciplinary action against Mr. Hasane, a Director, and one of his colleagues, a Deputy Director,” the Hasane family statement reads.
“The subsequent grievance process, which included forensic metadata analysis of the letter, confirmed allegations that Mr. Msibi was the original author and was substantiated by Mr Hasane. The document was later edited by Mr. Zakhele Nkwanyana – Mr. Msibi’s homeboy and close friend, before it was circulated.”
Irregular processes
Hasane apparently recognised Msibi’s handwriting in the printed copy of the complaint submitted to HR and went for him by lodging a grievance process.
HR chief director Gcina apparently aligned with Msibi and turned the grievance by Hasane on its head to investigate Hasane without following due process.
She apparently later admitted that she was in cahoots with Msibi to see Hasane’s backside by hook or crook.
“The available evidence now substantiated with a Grievance Report points to a coordinated effort to mislead departmental leadership and manipulate disciplinary processes for a malicious purpose: to displace existing Department of Transport officials and create vacancies for their associates.
“The family has chosen to make this matter public to protect Mr. Hasane from further retaliation, ensure transparency, and support the pursuit of justice through appropriate legal and institutional channels, while the Department of Transport continues its internal processes.”
