Nketoana Local Municipality in the Free State is taking disciplinary action against one of its employees, Mangaliso Hlongwane, after he allegedly exposed the misuse of municipal vehicles and funds.
The municipality has charged him with several counts of misconduct. It claims he wrongfully disclosed privileged information on social media.
According to documents, as seen by Sunday World, the employer alleges that Hlongwane breached policies when he posted payment proof related to a fellow employee’s car allowance on Facebook.
Disciplinary Procedure policy
“You are alleged to have committed section 2.7.8 of the Disciplinary Procedure Collective agreement by wrongful disclosure of privileged information when posted the municipality proof of payment on his Facebook page on 30 September about the car allowance paid to a fellow employee,” reads the document.
Additional charges include breaching Section 6 of the Municipal Code of Conduct. It prohibits employees from disclosing any confidential information without permission.
He is also accused of violating privacy rights under the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act. Also gross insubordination, for releasing the information without authorisation from the accounting officer.
The letter also informed Hlongwanne of his rights during the process. These include the right to legal representation, the right to argue and present evidence, and the right to call a witness.
Hlongwane told Sunday World that he did not understand why the POPI Act is being brought up. He said the person did not lay charges against him and the matter had appeared before court.
Employee denies charges
Hlongwane said he also does not have a Facebook account. And he finds it surprising that he is alleged to have posted documents on the social media platform.
“This is also my first time hearing of a Code of Conduct, and I haven’t signed anything of sort. I also believe that if the employer had whistleblowers, we would have some sort of policy that protects us from the said Code of Conduct,” said Hlongwane.
His representative from the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), Louis Cierenberg, said the case would need to be postponed as he still needed to gather more information regarding the hearing.
Previous reports of graft
Sunday World previously reported that a high-ranking official at Free State municipality has been charged with fraud. The official allegedly approved a car allowance for junior staff.
This senior official was said to have ignored the expenditure manager’s advice against the approval.
Hlongwane believed this was a clear misuse of public funds and reported it to the Reitz police station. And it led to a case of fraud and financial misconduct.
