TimesLive reports that a Public Works employee fired for his involvement in a controversial R500-million police office leasing deal is back on the job - with a R2-million payout from the department for his time away.  

Sam Vukela, acting director-general of the department at the time the lease was signed, has been reinstated after winning a contentious arbitration award.  Despite legal opinion suggesting Vukela's reinstatement could be challenged on the basis that the ruling was "vague and embarrassing and not easy to understand", the department is keeping him in his old position.  Vukela was fired in 2013 when it was found that he had acted negligently by facilitating a multi-million-rands business deal with property mogul Roux Shabangu, departing from standard tender process.  The deal related to lease agreement for office space needed by the police ahead of the 2010 World Cup.  In 2011 the Public Protector found that the lease agreement was "unlawful" because there had been no call for tenders.

• Read this report by Naledi Shange in full at TimesLive

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