Free State premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae is in hot water for ignoring a Free State High Court order to let Mosa Masitha keep her position as head of department (HoD) of human settlements.
Letsoha-Mathae removed Masitha as HoD and replaced her with Tumelo Phahlo in July. Phahlo is the former HoD of social development and he was moved to human settlements, while Masitha was taken to social development.
However, Masitha challenged her removal in court after Letsoha-Mathae ignored a letter from the HoD’s lawyers warning the premier that her actions were unjust and did not make sense.
On Monday, the Bloemfontein High Court issued the order and ruled on Thursday that Masitha should keep her position as HoD of human settlements, instead of being forced to head social development.
However, Letsoha-Mathae and Phahlo showed the high court the middle finger and ignored the court order.
The court order states that Letsoha-Mathae was interdicted and restrained from moving Masitha to social development from human settlements.
“The first respondent is interdicted and restrained from in any way further, acting upon and giving instructions pertaining to or insisting upon an implementation of either administration or executive decision she had taken on or about 30, alternatively on 31 July 2024,” read the final court order issued on Thursday.
The court order also compelled the premier to reinstate Masitha to her position.
However, the premier sneezed at the court order and allowed Phahlo to continue heading human settlements.
On July 30, the premier informed Masitha and Phahlo that she was swapping them in their departments with immediate effect.
Insiders told Sunday World that Masitha went to work for the part of last week, however, the MEC of human settlements Saki Mokoena refused to work with her and continued to work with Phahlo.
“Mosa came to work and she got into her office and worked. Saki refused to work with her but opted to work with Tumelo,” said an insider.
