Disciplinary hearing for officials in leaked Nzimande audio tape

A disciplinary hearing involving two suspended department of higher education [DHET] officials has been postponed until next Thursday.  

“We (Nehawu) requested the matter to be postponed while we prepare ourselves and get further evidence. The officials have been suspended with pay and in the meantime please can we allow the internal processes to unfold so that we do not jeopardise this matter,” said Nehawu DHET branch secretary Thabang Lehola.

He said the hearing was held at the department's offices in Pretoria on Tuesday.   

Lehola said the employees were not at loggerheads with the employer. 

The suspensions came after the Sunday Times reported last month that an extraordinary row has broken out between higher education minister Blade Nzimande and his deputy, Buti Manamela, over who gets media coverage of the department’s activities.  

Nzimande accused Manamela of “hogging the limelight” and relegating him to the sidelines in public engagements. The minister was upset with Manamela for holding events and meetings, even inviting President Cyril Ramaphosa without informing Nzimande. 

Nzimande was so enraged he called a meeting with his communications team where he read them the riot act and demanded answers as to why his own department was “sabotaging” him. 

The Sunday Times is in possession of leaked audio of a meeting between Nzimande and junior and senior staff including director-general Nkosinathi Sishi, deputy director Lucky Masuku and spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi.   

After the report, the department released a statement on May 10 saying the department had noted with “extreme disappointment” articles and a leaked audio recording of Nzimande. 

Acting chief director of corporate communications, Lucky Masuku, at the time said the department immediately conducted an internal investigation which led to the suspension of two officials based at the head office in Pretoria. 

Masuku said Sishi 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 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.”  

Masuku told TimesLIVE on Wednesday that the matter had been postponed subject to the availability of the people involved. 

“I would prefer that we deal with this matter once the process has been finalised because there is an investigation that is proceeding so it would be unfair of me to talk on some of the issues.” 

The police are investigating the matter. 

TimesLIVE

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