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Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu.
Opposition parties in the Mpumalanga government are demanding that Premier Mandla Ndlovu release the progress report of investigations into the laptop scandal in the education department.
Premier Ndlovu missed the deadline he had set himself to release the progress report on the suspension of the HOD, Lucy Moyane.
Moyane was suspended in May for the R2-million purchase of 22 office laptop by her department.
The DA has threated to report the provincial government for violation of Public Service Act.
Other parties – the EFF and MKP – have criticized Ndlovu for delaying the release of the report.
“As much as we have acknowledged that (they have) removed the former MEC Ms Cathy Dlamini from her duty, we still don’t know what is happening with the suspended HOD Lucy Moyane. We don’t know what is happening with her now, except that we know she is at home. She was suspended, but the Premier is not coming out with the full report and tell us what is happening,” says the EFF.
“As uMkhonto weSizwe Party, we demand immediate publication of the progress report dated 30th of June. That progress report, we want all the details … the implementation of the report [and] all the recommendations,” says the MKP.
Meanwhile, the provincial government says the premier will make the report public in due cause as currently, internal disciplinary process against the HOD are underway.
Provincial Spokesperson, George Mthethwa, says, “So far, we can indicate part of those recommendation are being implemented. For example, the sitting of the disciplinary processes as per the recommendations of the investigating team that has been done. Now, the next step it would be for the Premier to the take the nation into confidence … to indicate what steps have been taken to make sure that those recommendations are [being] implemented. But remember, certain processes are actually not determined by the set deadline that he set for himself.”
Mthethwa says the processes were delayed but the premier will table the report.
“Unfortunately, you know people that are involved in the disciplinary processes. You are guided by the availability of the people who are forming part of the disciplinary committee. The fact that some were not available affected deadline he had actual committed himself to but you are guaranteed definitely that we assure you.”-Reporting by Motsebi wa Monareng & Palesa Sotomela
