President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered that human settlements director-general Mbulelo Tshangana be transferred to another department after a breakdown in the relationship between him and minister Mmamoloko Kubayi.
This despite Tshangana on Saturday issuing a statement stating he was staying put in the position after a mediation process overseen by Ramaphosa.
eNCA reported that Tshangana was placed on special leave by Kubayi who allegedly accused him of repeatedly defying her and failing to fulfil his duties as an accounting officer of the department.
TimesLIVE is in possession of a letter dated June 9 written by Ramaphosa on the finalisation of a mediation process and submission of a report to him by mediator Adv Azhar Bham SC.
“The report summarises the mediation process and proposes certain options for my consideration. The first proposed option is that the DG remains in his position and the situation is monitored by the presidency for a maximum period of five months.
“The second option is that the DG is transferred to an alternative position in public service at the same level. I prefer option 2, and as such I have decided that the DG will be transferred to another equivalent role in the public service.”
In his letter Ramaphosa says director-general in the presidency Phindile Baleni will assist by facilitating the transfer process in terms of the Public Service Act and Regulations.
In a statement released on Saturday afternoon Tshangana, who was prepared to challenge Kubayi's decision, said: “I will continue to occupy my post as the director-general of the department of human settlements, and carry out and perform my duties as director-general until the process of the mediation is finalised by the presidency.”
He said he had been forced to clarify his position on the matter after the media reported about the contents of a letter Kubayi wrote to him which purported that she had placed him on special leave pending mediation by the presidency.
He explained that: “The powers and authority to place a director-general on suspension is only vested with the president of the republic, and not with the minister.
“The leak which has resulted in the media reports is condemned in the strongest possible terms and it is clear that it is meant to harm the integrity and character of the director-general. This deliberate media leak is, most worryingly, also meant to undermine the efforts of the president’s mediation process.”
It was not clear on Saturday if Ramaphosa's decision to transfer him to another role in the public service had been communicated to Tshangana.
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Ramaphosa transfers human settlements DG Mbulelo Tshangana after fallout with Kubayi
Image: Freddy Mavunda
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered that human settlements director-general Mbulelo Tshangana be transferred to another department after a breakdown in the relationship between him and minister Mmamoloko Kubayi.
This despite Tshangana on Saturday issuing a statement stating he was staying put in the position after a mediation process overseen by Ramaphosa.
eNCA reported that Tshangana was placed on special leave by Kubayi who allegedly accused him of repeatedly defying her and failing to fulfil his duties as an accounting officer of the department.
TimesLIVE is in possession of a letter dated June 9 written by Ramaphosa on the finalisation of a mediation process and submission of a report to him by mediator Adv Azhar Bham SC.
“The report summarises the mediation process and proposes certain options for my consideration. The first proposed option is that the DG remains in his position and the situation is monitored by the presidency for a maximum period of five months.
“The second option is that the DG is transferred to an alternative position in public service at the same level. I prefer option 2, and as such I have decided that the DG will be transferred to another equivalent role in the public service.”
In his letter Ramaphosa says director-general in the presidency Phindile Baleni will assist by facilitating the transfer process in terms of the Public Service Act and Regulations.
In a statement released on Saturday afternoon Tshangana, who was prepared to challenge Kubayi's decision, said: “I will continue to occupy my post as the director-general of the department of human settlements, and carry out and perform my duties as director-general until the process of the mediation is finalised by the presidency.”
He said he had been forced to clarify his position on the matter after the media reported about the contents of a letter Kubayi wrote to him which purported that she had placed him on special leave pending mediation by the presidency.
He explained that: “The powers and authority to place a director-general on suspension is only vested with the president of the republic, and not with the minister.
“The leak which has resulted in the media reports is condemned in the strongest possible terms and it is clear that it is meant to harm the integrity and character of the director-general. This deliberate media leak is, most worryingly, also meant to undermine the efforts of the president’s mediation process.”
It was not clear on Saturday if Ramaphosa's decision to transfer him to another role in the public service had been communicated to Tshangana.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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