Sita acting MD (AMD) Simphiwe Dzengwa told parliament he had not implemented the forensic report recommendations because the current board, which was previously dissolved, had not given him instructions.
“I started at Sita in February, the two gentlemen [company secretary Tendai Mphaphuli and supply chain management (SCM) head Kenneth Pillay] who were suspended [for tender irregularities] were already under suspension.
“When there were changes [September] at a board level then there were questions about the decisions that were taken by the previous board led by Pillay [Kiruben] and whether I still hold the mandate to run the disciplinary process.”
Dzengwa said the board had not yet given him a mandate to continue disciplinary processes for the tender blunder. Instead several suspensions in the company were lifted by the board, he said. While Pillay and Mphaphuli are back at work, charges against them have not been withdrawn.
“The matter is in limbo. A resolution was taken that the suspension must be lifted of the company secretary and head of SCM by the board. Besides the two suspensions there are a couple of suspensions that I have been instructed to lift. Two of them are also officials at SCM. I was investigating these officials, no report was asked from me,” he said.
“Unfortunately I feel that, I am in line because I have seen emails circulating saying that I must be suspended because apparently, I am not executing some of these instructions [from the board].”
Sita has spent about R5m in disciplinary processes, he said.
Sita was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Dzengwa raised concerns about cancelling the unlawful tender saying it could be regarded as fruitless expenditure by the auditor-general.