City Press reports that the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency wants former group CEO Mosa Tshabalala to pay back almost R3 million she received as a settlement two years ago.
It was reported last month that the agency had reached a R2.8 million settlement with Tshabalala, who was fired in June 2022 for misconduct and poor performance. In total, she received R3.3 million, which included two months’ salary, as recommended by a disciplinary hearing when she was fired. The agency paid her despite the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing having recommended that she be dismissed, which resulted in the agency terminating her contract. The latest move, which has placed the agency board on the opposing side with the Gauteng economic development department, is now the subject of court proceedings. In court documents dated 15 May 2024, head of department Blake Mosley-Lefatola, told the Pretoria High Court that on 20 February this year it had come to his attention that there were ongoing settlement negotiations between the board and Tshabalala. Mosley-Lefatola indicated: “I expressed my concerns regarding the potential settlement negotiations which are contrary to the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, being dismissal and remuneration of two months.” He opined that there was no justification to enter into any settlement agreement at that stage, especially given the gravity of the charges that Tshabalala had been found guilty of. Although he was aware that Tshabalala was no longer in the employ of the agency following her dismissal, he nevertheless deemed it appropriate to make further inquiries regarding the settlement negotiations. Mosley-Lefatola told the court that he did not receive any responses from the board and the provincial treasury to his letters questioning the settlement. He has asked the court to order Tshabalala to pay back the R2.8 million, which he said was “improperly and unlawfully paid” into her bank account.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Abram Mashego at City Press (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page