CEO Joyce Mogale and CFO Sikhumbuzo Zulu "not fit for any senior office which involves finance".
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has terminated the employment of its suspended CEO Joyce Mogale (pictured) and CFO Sikhumbuzo Zulu following the conclusion of their disciplinary hearing.
In February 2017, Mogale and Zulu were suspended after being charged with irregularities and failure to fulfil their duties in relation to three procurements worth R200 million. The charges related to exceeding delegations of authority, irregular payments made to service providers and irregular appointment of service providers.
In September Mogale and Zulu’s application to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to set aside their suspension and to declare it unlawful, failed. On 30 April 2019 chairperson of the disciplinary hearing Nazeer Cassim concluded that both employees were guilty of misconduct.
He said that:
“In the circumstances of this case, it suffices for summary dismissal. They breached the trust vested in them by their employer. They acted contrary to their duty of good faith, contravened the law and the employer’s SCM (Supply Chain Management) Policy. They plunged their employer in serious financial prejudice. No employer can be expected to put up with their conduct.”
Cassim then recommended that Mogale and Zulu be dismissed. He also recommended that the NHLS should issue a publication of their ineptitude in doing work that requires implementation of tender law, in essence stating that they are “not fit for any senior office which involves finance matters”, and that the NHLS should institute legal proceedings to recover the irregular expenditure.
His recommendations were adopted by the board on 2 May, and both Mogale and Zulu were dismissed.
