A top Free State government official and nemesis of the provincial premier could be fired from her plush job after being found guilty of bringing the provincial government into disrepute.
Mosa Masimene, a former head of department (HOD) for human settlements, faced serious charges of misconduct.
Masimene, who is currently suspended and serving as the HOD for the Department of Public Works, was hauled before a disciplinary hearing by her boss, Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.
Masimene was charged with gross negligence following an investigation by the Public Service Commission (PSC) into claims that she had secured the transfer of a director, Madillo Tshehle, from the Department of Social Development to human settlements department.
Tshehle was transferred to human settlements to act as director of finance and budget management. Her term ended on July 31, 2023.
Letsoha-Mathae suspended Masimene in February over allegations emanating from the PSC’s findings on the matter involving Tshehle’s transfer.
Although Tshehle’s transfer was secured by Masimene, and she was transferred to human settlements from February 2023 until July of the same year, her salary was paid by the social development department, which is standard practice for transfers between departments.
In an investigation report released by the PSC last November, the commission stated that Masimene had indicated she had no powers vested in her regarding the secondment of staff. She claimed her former boss, Ketso “Toto” Makume, who was the MEC for Human Settlements, had stripped her of those powers.
The PSC said that during Tshehle’s continued stay at human settlements, Makume had withdrawn HR delegations from Masimene via a letter dated June 28, 2023.
The commission stated that Makume had the authority to approve the extension of Tshehle’s secondment from August 1, 2023. However, it said that as there was no approval from the MEC, the HOD should have acted swiftly to reconsider Tshehle’s stay at the department beyond her secondment period.
In a suspension letter seen by Sunday World, Letsoha-Mathae accused Masimene of bringing the provincial government into disrepute.
“Due to the nature of the allegations made, I have resolved to institute investigations to, inter alia, investigate such allegations. In light of the above and taking into account the seriousness of the allegations made against you, I am placing you in precautionary suspension with immediate effect, pending the finalisation of the internal investigation process,” Letsoha-Mathae said in the letter.
Following an investigation by the Free State government, a disciplinary hearing chaired by state advocate Elizabeth Baloyi-Mere was held over five days between May and June.
The controversial HOD, who has had a frosty relationship with Letsoha-Mathae, was found guilty on all charges.
Baloyi-Mere recommended in her judgment, delivered on October 31, that Masimene should be axed from her job.
In her judgment, Baloyi-Mere said that regarding all three charges, she, as the chairperson, found that the employer – the Free State government – had succeeded in proving its case against the troubled HOD.
“Considering the aforesaid, I therefore find the employee (Ms Mosa Masimene) guilty of the charges put against her by the employer (the Free State government). I, therefore, recommend dismissal as an appropriate sanction,” said Baloyi-Mere.
Masimene said: “Anyone can see that those are not dismissible charges. I am appealing this matter and am waiting for them to give me my letter of termination; thereafter, I am going straight to court. The judgment was manipulated simply to target me on Maqueen’s orders. This is a personal and political fight between Maqueen and me.”
