ZIWAPHI • VOL 3 NO 25 • 18 DEC 2009 - 14 JAN 2010

NELSPRUIT

By Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza is seeking legal advice on how to recover money from a former communications head who was dismissed for violating procurement procedures in the R1.8-million Alfred Dunhill Golf Championship in 2007.

On April 10, the provincial government was forced to reinstate Lebona Mosia following a ruling of the Bargaining Council, which found that his dismissal was unfair.

Mosia was then employed in the premier’s office as executive project manager in research and knowledge management, because his previous position had already been filled.

The Select Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has since recommended that Mosia pay back the R1.8-million, which he was found to have spent without approval.

“The office of the premier sought a legal opinion on the basis and processes of recovery, an opinion which was submitted to the chairperson of Scopa. We are now seeking a second legal opinion to clarify how this process should be taken forward [in line with the rules],” said Mabuza’s spokesman, Mabutho Sithole.

Former director-general Khaya Ngema axed Mosia on July 7 last year after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty on two charges of “transgression or deviation from prescripts”.

“The next step was for the premier’s office to institute action to recover [the money from Mr Mosia], but he lodged a dispute with the Bargaining Council for unfair dismissal,” Sithole said.

The R1.8-million contract was awarded by the premier’s office as advertising sponsorship for the Alfred Dunhill Golf Championship, which was held at Leopard Creek Golf Course in Malalane on December 8 and 9 2007.

Mosia defended himself, saying time constraints prevented him from following procurement procedures because the provincial government could not afford to miss out on the sponsorship.

The aim of the sponsorship was to promote the province in 68 countries during a four-day live broadcast of the championship on the SuperSport channel.

The brand, Mpumalanga: A Pioneering Spirit, was broadcast to 68 countries.

His mistake, Mosia said, was awarding the money directly from the provincial government’s account to the championship organisers.

The money was meant to have been paid by a company called Global Interface, which had been awarded a R40-million tender to conduct the Brand Mpumalanga campaign.

Mosia insisted that he did not deserve to be fired for his mistake and lodged an appeal with the Labour Court against his dismissal.

According to the championship’s publicity company, SAIL, Mpumalanga had a return value of R45-million from the 2007 tournament in terms of media value exposure.

Besides the Dunhill contract, Mosia was also charged with advertising in two publications without observing supply chain processes.

The advertisements included the first promotion of Mpumalanga’s Big Five Flagship Project and the book, Mpumalanga: History and Heritage, by Professor Peter Delius.

Despite Ngema’s refusal to approve the adverts, Mosia processed payment after the chairpersons of the tender specifications, bid and adjudication committees had signed off on the expenditure.

The book later won the Mail and Guardian Non-Fiction Book of the Year for 2007.

Mosia could not be reached for comment on Monday. His office phone and his cellphone rang without being answered. He also had not responded to questions sent by e-mail.

Makwetla’s man must repay R1.8m