Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda and his director-general, Mamodupi Mohlala, should appear before Parliament's Communications Oversight Committee to explain the situation between the two, says a Democratic Alliance (DA) MP.
Lindiwe Mazibuko, the DA's shadow deputy communications minister, says she was alarmed by recent media reports concerning a rift between Nyanda and Mohlala, with little or no statements or explanation from either detailing what is going on.
Mazibuko says she is drafting a letter to communications committee chairman Ismail Vadi to this effect. She plans to approach him on the matter once he returns from the overseas visit he and other MPs are on.
Last week, national newspaper Business Day, and then later the Sunday Times, ran stories saying Nyanda was preparing to dismiss Mohlala as she refused to allow him to approve tenders. The reports alleged he wanted to take this power away from her.
The Sunday Times reported that late last Friday, Nyanda was actually preparing dismissal papers against Mohlala.
Mohlala took sick leave last week and Department of Communications (DOC) deputy director-general Harold Wesso was appointed by Nyanda in her place. ITWeb confirmed today that Mohlala is back at work.
Unusual appointment
Mazibuko believes the appointment of an acting director-general in this instance is unusual and smacks of further issues within the DOC.
“Just because the DG takes a couple of sick days doesn't mean that a deputy is appointed in her place,” Mazibuko says. “It is not as if she was off for a couple of weeks.”
Mazibuko says it seems Nyanda and Mohlala had a sound relationship and, based on her observations during Parliamentary hearings, they appear to be working well together. However, it appears, from the newspaper reports, that some kind of line had been crossed.
“There was a hiccup with the digital TV migration hearings when the minister looked visibly irritated that he had to explain why the department appeared to be changing its mind over what digital standards to use. Then there are the questions over tenders and I suspect that Mohlala has stood up to him,” she says.
Mazibuko says Nyanda appears to have become something of an embarrassment to Cabinet, after continuous reports of his lavish lifestyle and his involvement in various tenders through his privately-owned businesses.
Juli Killian, Congress of the People communications spokesperson, says that if Nyanda wants to get rid of Mohlala, he may find it fairly difficult.
“The minister will require a Cabinet resolution to dismiss the DG and he will have lots to explain to Cabinet to oust her 10 months after her appointment,” Killian says.
The DOC had not commented by the time of publication.
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