Damning report leaves daggers drawn between property watchdog board and CEO

10 September 2022 - 16:31
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Suspended property watchdog CEO Mamodupi Mohlala has scoffed at a damning forensic report on her alleged misconduct.
Suspended property watchdog CEO Mamodupi Mohlala has scoffed at a damning forensic report on her alleged misconduct.
Image: Russell Roberts

Mamodupi Mohlala, the suspended CEO of the Property Practitioners' Regulatory Authority (PPRA), has responded with guns blazing after the watchdog released a damning forensic report on her alleged misconduct.

The PPRA board suspended Mohlala in March after a complaint against her was filed with the Public Service Commission. Based on the preliminary finding of a forensic probe, the board decided to haul Mohlala to a disciplinary hearing in July. But Mohlala took the matter to the CCMA. It will be heard in October.

The board also “resolved to refer criminal allegations ... to the law-enforcement agency”. It released the findings of the forensic investigation on Wednesday.

“In essence, the allegations against the CEO cover contraventions of pension fund legislation and rules, irregular appointments of staff, appointments of underqualified persons, flouting of procurement processes leading to irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and fraud,” the board said.

Responding, Mohlala said the “nature of the behaviour on the part of the board clearly manifest an abuse of office and abuse of process.

“In this respect, they are now undermining the very process they had initiated against me. This points to a lack of appreciation of natural rules of justice on the part of the board. How will they reconcile their hands in this process as they have already projected themselves as a player and a referee in it? Their process is compromised and suspicious.

“I am innocent until proven guilty. This conduct of the board seems to presuppose that I am guilty until proven innocent.

“This is a clear violation of my rights as a human being and a woman in particular. This is more especially as I have never been given an opportunity to respond to these allegations by either the forensic auditors or the board itself.”

Mohlala equated the probe against her to a kangaroo court.

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