The untouchable union leader who is allegedly wreaking havoc at Amatola Water Board in Eastern Cape, Victor Phumzile Totolo, has been found to be a former armed robbery convict who allegedly cooked his curriculum vitae to hide his criminal history.
Totolo, a full-time shop steward for the South African Municipal Workers Union at Amatola Water Board, allegedly misrepresented facts on his CV and claimed that he was working at an engineering firm while he was in fact serving time in jail.
An internal investigation report, seen by Sunday World, states that a whistleblower submitted a report, which indica-ted that Totolo has “a criminal record, which had not been disclosed to Amatola Water”.
The report further states that the board hired a private investigator to prove these allegations, and it was established that indeed Totolo was convicted and sentenced to an effective eight-year imprisonment by the East London Magistrates’ Court on May 12, 2004, after he was
arrested for a string of armed robberies.
The investigation also confirmed that Totolo served his time at Fort Glamorgan Prison and St Albans Prison between 2004 and 2007.
But in his CV, Totolo indica-ted that he was working for the entity known as RG Engineers as an electrical assistant for a period from 2004 to 2006 when he was in fact incarcerated”, the report states.
Amatola Water Board acting CEO Lindokuhle Nzoyi confirmed this week that Totolo is under a fresh investigation for misrepresentation of facts in his CV.
“I hereby confirm that a complaint regarding the misrepresentation of facts by Totolo in his CV and during his recruitment was brought to the attention of the entity.
“I further confirm that, in view of its seriousness, this matter, which is considered as compromising good governance, is receiving attention as it is being investigated through the governance structures of the entity. Any wrongdoing shall be dealt with in accordance with the prescripts of applicable legislation and policies,” Nzoyi said.
Totolo appears to be politically connected and untouchable. Former settlements and water and sanitation minister Lindiwe Sisulu instructed the board to reinstate the union boss in 2018 “with full benefits” after he was fired for dishonesty after it was established that he lied about his previous employment and academic qualifications, including the fact that he did not complete the N4 national certificate as indicated in his CV.
But the full extent of Totolo’s alleged lies and dishonesty was never made public until today, as exposed by Sunday World.
Totolo failed to answer six questions sent to him this week, which included whether he could confirm or deny that he lied in his CV and also whether he was serving time at Fort Glamorgan Prison and St Albans Prison at the time he claimed he was employed at
RG Engineers.
Sources with intimate know-ledge at Amatola Water Board claim “Totolo is untouchable because he is politically protected”.
“The man has been causing havoc at Amatola, threatening to call an industry strike if the management isn’t dancing to his music, and is blackmailing some of the officials because everyone knows he is politically connected and untouchable,” one of the sources said.
