Top earning EPWP ghost worker linked to Durban mayor

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DURBAN - A damning forensic report allegedly shows how eThekwini municipal officials manipulated the recruitment process to employ a woman who had helped mayor Zandile Gumede with her electoral bid. The report, compiled by the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU), which the Sunday Tribune has seen, details how officials, allegedly prompted by Gumede, went out of their way to hire Thabisile Ncayiyane, who became project and ceremonial affairs executive, earning R555 000 a year. She was offered the job on Christmas Day, 2016. One of the casualties of Ncayiyane’s appointment was former city manager S’bu Sithole, who was suspended and kicked out of his city hall office with just two weeks before his contract could end, said DA KZN leader Zwakele Mncwango. Ncayiyane’s employment offer was drafted on December 25, even though interviews for the position took place five days later. Mayoral spokesperson Mthunzi Gumede said no one at the council was at work over Christmas.

“There is no way an appointment could be made before interviews,” said Gumede.

Sithole, who is acting chief executive at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, said via Whatsapp: “Sorry, I can’t comment on matters related to my former employer.”

The mayor built a relationship with Ncayiyane while she worked at King Shaka International Airport and doubled as her assistant during Gumede’s ANC electoral campaign to become eThekwini regional chairperson.

When Gumede became mayor, Ncayiyane gave up her job with the promise she would be appointed the mayor’s project executive protocol and ceremonial affairs executive.

She accepted the offer of a salary of R50 000 a month on January 30 last year and was to take up the position from February 1, but had to give up the post when she was unable to furnish her qualifications, the report found.

After receiving information about the alleged dodgy appointment, Mncwango laid a formal complaint with the KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

He alleged Sithole had refused to appoint Ncayiyane in a senior position, which irked the mayor and resulted in him being booted out.

“The mayor demanded she be paid the salary of a senior manager, but Sithole refused and told her he would not flout HR (human resources) rules.

“The mayor insisted and told him he should at least create a senior position, although Ncayiyane would not be carrying out such duties, and that’s when they began not seeing eye to eye and she suspended him,” said Mncwango.

Spokesperson Gumede said the allegations that the mayor had manipulated the recruitment process were baseless.

“The hiring and firing of officials is an administrative process. The mayor has never interfered with the process. Moreover, it is outside of her power.

“It is unfortunate that there are those who are using the media to tarnish the mayor’s image by issuing false information.

“Thabisile Ncayiyane is not employed by the mayor and she has never been her domestic helper.”

Mncwango said when Dumisile Nene was appointed acting city manager, she allegedly allowed Gumede to appoint Ncayiyane in a senior position, at R555 000 a year.

“What is disappointing is that Nene’s original position is that of a deputy city manager in human resources, but she succumbs to political pressure and makes irregular decisions.

Missing

“If it had not been for the documents that this lady could not produce, she would have worked as protocol officer but received a senior manager’s salary, which would have been above even the person she would have been reporting to,” said Mncwango.

In February last year, when Ncayiyane established she could no longer return to her position because of the KZN department’s investigation, she disappeared.

Her missing person’s notice was widely circulated on social media, including on the SAPS Facebook page.

A police source revealed the missing person’s report had been filed by someone from the mayor’s office.

“It was a high-level investigation because of the political links and we eventually found her in Richmond,” the source said.

Another high-ranking source within the municipality alleged Ncayiyane had faked her disappearance to get her position back.

Another source said she was stressed as she found herself without a job and income and had nowhere to go after she could not take up the job at the mayor’s office.

When she was eventually found, Ncayiyane was appointed as an Expanded Public Works Programme employee in the city, earning more than R2090 a day, the report found.

She entered into a three-month safety volunteer programme which started in April last year, but she was still receiving a monthly net salary of R34 000.

Although there was no record of timesheets to prove she was at work, Ncayiyane was paid significantly more than the normal R130-a-day rate.

The CIIU indicated that Ncayiyane was one of the ghost employees when her name appeared among those receiving exorbitant amounts through the EPWP Safer Cities project, headed by Martin Xaba, who is also the head of the mayoral parlour. He would not comment.

The EPWP programme was established by the Department of Public Works and is implemented through the three spheres of government. It is intended to provide poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed who receive a monthly stipend of about R3000 a month.

The forensic report recommended that more than R500 000 that was paid to Ncayiyane be recovered, for May 2017-March 2018.

The forensic report said since the recruitment jacket for Ncayiyane was missing, they could not conclude on the appointment procedures and could not identify the individuals involved.

When the Sunday Tribune contacted Ncayiyane this week, she claimed she was being victimised and would not confirm her current employment or source of income.

“You continue making wild allegations based on a malicious CIIU report. CIIU has never come to me or offered me any opportunity to respond to their allegations,” said Ncayiyane via e-mail.

Mandla Nsele, a spokesperson for eThekwini Municipality, confirmed Ncayiyane was part of the EPWP programme and said the city had done no wrong.

“Participants on the programme are remunerated according to the work performed and aligned to the city’s pay scales.

“All appropriate processes were followed in the recruitment for the position. No wrongdoing or any fraud and corruption was committed in this regard,” said Nsele.

Nsele said the disciplinary processes were underway for officials implicated in the EPWP matter and the recovery of funds would take place after the verdict.

Mncwango said he would be reporting the matter to the Hawks. “Internal avenues don’t seem to be working, as the recommendations were not being implemented due to ANC interference.

“I have resorted to always reporting information to the Hawks. These are criminal activities and people need to be charged,” he said.

“I don’t hate this lady, but it is a matter of principle. How do you receive public funds without working?”

SUNDAY TRIBUNE