Public Enterprises DG dismissed

The Director-General of the Department of Public Enterprises, Kgathatso Tlhakudi, has been dismissed following an inquiry into a complaint laid against him with the Public Service Commission.

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, was mandated by President Cyril Ramaphosa to conduct the inquiry, which looked into whether or not Tlhakudi violated his employment contract.

“A due process was undertaken in which all the allegations were put to Mr Tlhakudi, who was represented in the inquiry. Having considered all the evidence presented, the chairperson of the disciplinary, Advocate Ramawele SC, found that Mr Tlhakudi breached his contract and made sanctions of dismissal.

“Minister Lamola has given effect to the sanction and has thus issued Mr Tlhakudi with a dismissal letter dated 2 June 2023, in terms of section 16B of the Public Services Act, 1994,” the Department of Justice and Correctional Services said.

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) said it will be implementing the decision.

“The DPE can finally put all its efforts into advancing the reforms aimed at capacitating SOEs [State-owned enterprises] to deliver on their developmental mandate.

“This work will culminate with a series of critical outcomes, including the creation of the National Transmission Company of South Africa out of Eskom, the establishment of an infrastructure manager within Transnet Freight Rail, and the introduction of private partnerships for the Durban Container Terminal,” the DPE said.

Meanwhile, the DPE said it has noted the decision of the Constitutional Court to dismiss Tlhakudi’s application for leave for a direct appeal against a Labour Court decision to uphold his suspension.

“[The] Constitutional Court’s decision was further vindication of its stance that Mr Tlhakudi has long sought to avoid accountability for his misconduct that arose from a complaint that was filed with the Public Service Commission for alleged unethical behaviour over a recruitment process in the department.

“Moreover, Mr Tlhakudi’s deceitful utterances and conduct in recent weeks, in which he has continued to peddle lies about the department and its political executive head, Minister Pravin Gordhan, has served to bring into sharp focus his utter disregard for due process, opting instead to portray himself as a victim through falsehoods,” the department said.

The department said the now former DG’s “attempts to undermine the DPE’s work of stabilising State-owned enterprises by alleging impropriety” in the deal to sell some 51% of shares in South African Airways to Takatso consortium “were doomed to fail”.

“The [department] reiterates the fact that Mr Tlhakudi was party to every step in the process that evaluated the interests that were received by the DPE for SAA. Additionally, he had authorised and provided oversight for the due diligence that resulted in the shortlisting of Takatso as the preferred SEP [strategic equity partnership], in line with specific criteria that he had formulated as part of the adjudication process,” the department said.