With two officials suspended in connection with a leaked audio of the minister of higher education, science and innovation complaining about not getting media coverage while his deputy is given all the spotlight, the department has reported that the matter has been referred to the Hawks for further investigation.
However, this newspaper has not been able to get confirmation from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks, that the matter has been brought to their attention.
National Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said she could not find any record of the matter, even at the Hawks’ Gauteng office.
The department of higher education and training this week announced through a media statement that it had suspended two officials in its head office in Pretoria over the audio leak in which Dr Blade Nzimande expressed his frustration at playing second fiddle to his deputy, Buti Manamela, in live coverage in the department’s media platforms. He was speaking at a meeting with his senior management team.
“I’m never covered live by the DHET [department of higher education and training] wall and yet I’m the chief spokesperson of both the department of science and innovation, and the department of higher education and training,” he told the meeting attended by the department’s senior management, including director general Dr Nkosinathi Sishi.
“I want to know why because it is a continuation of something that happens all the time.
“It can’t be somebody’s choice to decide whether I can show or not show the minister”.
“I’m worried that this thing will pitch myself against the DM, and even against yourselves,” he said.
On Wednesday, the department reported that: “Following the media reports, and given the seriousness of this matter, the department immediately conducted an internal investigation which has led to the suspension of two officials based at the head office in Pretoria.
“The director-general of the department of higher education and training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi has cautioned officials against wrongdoing, to act responsibly in their line of work and to familiarise themselves with the code of ethical conduct in government.
“The code of conduct for public servants demands of government employees to not use or disclose any official information for personal gain or the gain of others.
It is against this background that the department has acted swiftly and continues with its internal investigations while the two officials remain on suspension. The matter is also with the South African Police Service for further investigations,” he said.
Sunday World asked the department’s spokesperson and acting chief director for corporate communication Lucky Masuku for the Crime Administration System (CAS) number and the police station at which the matter was reported to establish the nature of the case the department opened.
Masuku indicated he could not provide a CAS number because the matter was referred directly to the Hawks.
Asked about positions of the suspended officials, he said that it was an acting assistant director and a communications officer who had been placed on precautionary suspension.
When this newspaper enquired how junior officials were part of a meeting with the minister and the senior management team, Masuku said the two
officials, who report to the director: public relations and marketing, had been at the meeting at his request.
Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi referred all questions regarding the suspensions to the department.
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