WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-04-18 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
The newly appointed board chairperson at the helm of the troubled SA Weather Service has been instructed by Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk to appoint forensic auditors to investigate a range of complaints and allegations by staff members.
The allegations include gross misconduct and wasteful, irregular and fruitless expenditure by senior managers, as well as an alleged lack of appropriate oversight by the former board, whose term expired at the end of March.
The three-year term of the chair of the new board, Khungeka Njobe, started on April 1.
Van Schalkwyk has political responsibility for the parastatal Weather Service.
| ‘they wanted to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation’ |
Whistleblowers at the service – who have dubbed themselves “concerned employees” – contacted the DA’s anti-corruption hotline in March to report a range of alleged problems, saying they wanted to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation.
Misconduct allegations included the appointment of consultants with close links to a senior manager and to a board member of the service; the manipulated appointment of the manager’s friend at an exaggerated salary; illegal spending on flying other senior staff to a party hosted by the manager; and this manager’s lengthy periods out of office without leave.
Other allegations were levelled against some of the Weather Service’s board and against other senior managers.
The whistleblowers have subsequently made a further set of allegations, also through the DA’s hotline.
These include irregular travel expenses, irregular phone calls, irregular appointments of senior staff, the awarding of tenders without following proper tender procedures, the appointment of senior staff without proper procedures and concerns about the awarding of work on a huge new contract at the service.
| ‘irregular travel expenses, irregular phone calls, irregular appointments of senior staff’ |
When the DA asked a detailed set of questions in parliament, based on the whistleblowers’ initial allegations, Van Schalkwyk said he had requested the then board chairperson, Sizeka Rensburg, to appoint someone “as a matter of urgency” to investigate the matter.
But this did not satisfy the anonymous staffers, who alleged that Rensburg was a close personal friend and neighbour of chief executive Linda Makuleni.
They also said that because their complaints implicated the entire board, no one on the board should be involved in the investigation in any way.
Gareth Morgan, the DA’s environment spokesperson, wrote to Van Schalkwyk after the latest round of allegations, requesting a full forensic investigation because of the “severity” of the current situation.
“It has been brought to my attention that considerable problems exist at the South African Weather Service dating as far back as 2001. However, it appears that no serious action has been taken by your department to deal with these problems to date,” he said.
He told Van Schalkwyk he had received “several reports” from staff over the past few weeks.
“I’m aware that I cannot vouch entirely for the authenticity of these reports, but their contents contain information on problems that are similar to past reported problems at the SA Weather Service, which suggests they should be treated seriously.”
Morgan told the Cape Argus he would submit further parliamentary questions to find out the timeframes of the investigation ordered by Van Schalkwyk and its exact frames of reference.
“Further, it is necessary that at some time in the near future the findings are presented to Parliament and the minister will need to make a public statement on the issue. This will allow legislators to have some oversight over the process.”
This investigation would not stop Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) from conducting its own hearings on the allegations, Morgan added.
“The chair of Scopa has been copied with all whistleblower reports and therefore he’s aware that there are serious allegations being made. I trust he will see fit to call the relevant roleplayers before Scopa as well,” he said.
If the allegations were not thoroughly investigated, it might be necessary to ask the Special Investigative Unit (the Scorpions) to get involved.
In his response to Morgan, Van Schalkwyk said an independent investigation had been set up.
“I have instructed the new chairperson of the board (Njobe) to follow correct procedures and appoint forensic auditors to conduct an investigation into (the) allegations.”
Njobe is group executive of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), where her portfolio includes research and development outcomes and strategic human capital development.