A government official who, in April, was suspended by the KwaZulu-Natal department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (CoGTA) has resurfaced in the corruption-riddled provincial government of the Eastern Cape.
Chuleza Hombisa Jama, the former chief director for municipal infrastructure, and Siyabonga Mazibuko, the deputy director for infrastructure development, were suspended after “extremely serious” allegations were received against them following the collapse of the scheme in Jozini under the ANC-run Umkhanyakude district municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The R151-million water scheme was financed by KwaZulu-Natal CoGTA, and it was intended to deliver water to 2 400 households but spectacularly failed to meet its objectives, with only 700 households currently having access to unreliable water service.
According to a suspension letter that was seen by Sunday World, the KZN department placed Jama on precautionary suspension due to allegations of “fraud and maladministration”, which required her to stay away from her workplace to avoid hindering an investigation.
Chief for disaster management
“Your precautionary suspension with immediate effect is premised on the extremely serious nature of the preliminary findings of an assessment being undertaken into the aforementioned project as well as serious allegations received pertaining to the project, which has necessitated the institution of an urgent investigation into the project,” reads the letter that was sent to Jama, which was signed off by the acting head of department, Dr Joey Khrishnan.
Three months later, Jama has been appointed as the chief director for disaster management in the Eastern Cape CoGTA.
It comes a day after the province received half a billion rands in disaster funds from the national CoGTA but claimed it was not enough.
Sunday World was tipped off by employees there who raised concerns about Jama’s presence.
“She is now working here and is in charge of disaster funds after she was suspended in Natal [KwaZulu-Natal],” a source said.
The spokesperson for the department in the Eastern Cape, Pheello Oliphant, confirmed that Jama had joined the department but said it was a transfer.
She added that other than the letter on precautionary suspension, which had no charges, Jama has never received any other correspondence.
Horizontal transfer process
“Miss Chuleza Jama applied for a horizontal transfer from the KZN CoGTA to the EC CoGTA to fill a vacant position of Chief Director: Disaster Management.
“Unlike with the normal government application process, a horizontal transfer process does not require the completion of a Z83 form.
“It is this form that requires an applicant to disclose investigations or suspensions that a person is or was subjected to.
“Be that as it may, Ms Jama did voluntarily inform the acting head of department [after assuming her duties] about the disciplinary committee process that was underway in KZN.
“As things stand, Ms Jama is still within the public service, and while she remains innocent until proven guilty, nothing stops the KZN department from pursuing their disciplinary process if they still think their charges have merit and substance,” Oliphant said.
