MEC in fancy Merc row falls on sword
6 June 2009, 11:09
By Alex Eliseev
Twenty-five days after moving into her office, Gauteng MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has stepped down, falling on her sword over the bungled purchase of a R920 000 Mercedes-Benz.
The head of Mamoorosi Qacha, her chief financial officer (CFO), has also rolled.
Qacha was put on immediate suspension. A criminal case has also been opened against him over allegations of fraud within the department and specifically around the Mercedes-Benz deal.
The bombshell announcement came yesterday and saw Nkomo-Ralehoko, the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, admit she had been misled by senior members of staff.
"I realise that I was inappropriately advised, particularly by the CFO, on this process that led to the release of the vehicle without proper insurance and installation of tracking devices," she said.
Boldly, Nkomo-Ralehoko did not stop at suspending Qacha, but said she had to take full responsibility for an act that, ultimately, wasted nearly R1-million of taxpayers' money. "I sincerely regret this incident and apologise to the people of Gauteng."
The second-hand ML 63 AMG was bought from an Alberton-based dealership and collected by Nkomo-Ralehoko's husband, Sydney, last week on Friday.
It was stolen at gunpoint from Sydney while his wife was at work the next day.
After the story broke, the department issued a press statement to state "categorically that there was nothing murky or untoward about the deal". Friday's developments flew in the face of that statement.
"It has come to my attention that (Qacha) did not obtain authority from the head of department in this entire process," Nkomo-Ralehoko's said. "The purchase of the vehicle and its theft raised suspicions which I think the government and police must fully investigate."
Qacha, it seems, is also embroiled in other disciplinary cases involving financial mismanagement.
"The circumstances pertaining to the (car purchase and theft) have caused serious embarrassment to my family, the Gauteng provincial government and the ANC... it was never my intention to circumvent any government procedure," Nkomo-Ralehoko said. She was appointed MEC on May 8 and stepped down from a salary package of over R1m a year.
Simon Zwane, provincial government spokesperson, said Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane would still have to "apply her mind" to who would replace the MEC.
The DA praised Nkomo-Ralehoko for "doing the right thing". But it said the department still had serious problems to deal with such as poor service delivery and staff vacancies.
Spokesman for the ANC in Gauteng, Nkenke Kekana, welcomed the MEC's resignation on Friday.
Twenty-five days after moving into her office, Gauteng MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has stepped down, falling on her sword over the bungled purchase of a R920 000 Mercedes-Benz.
The head of Mamoorosi Qacha, her chief financial officer (CFO), has also rolled.
Qacha was put on immediate suspension. A criminal case has also been opened against him over allegations of fraud within the department and specifically around the Mercedes-Benz deal.
The bombshell announcement came yesterday and saw Nkomo-Ralehoko, the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, admit she had been misled by senior members of staff.
"I realise that I was inappropriately advised, particularly by the CFO, on this process that led to the release of the vehicle without proper insurance and installation of tracking devices," she said.
Boldly, Nkomo-Ralehoko did not stop at suspending Qacha, but said she had to take full responsibility for an act that, ultimately, wasted nearly R1-million of taxpayers' money. "I sincerely regret this incident and apologise to the people of Gauteng."
The second-hand ML 63 AMG was bought from an Alberton-based dealership and collected by Nkomo-Ralehoko's husband, Sydney, last week on Friday.
It was stolen at gunpoint from Sydney while his wife was at work the next day.
After the story broke, the department issued a press statement to state "categorically that there was nothing murky or untoward about the deal". Friday's developments flew in the face of that statement.
"It has come to my attention that (Qacha) did not obtain authority from the head of department in this entire process," Nkomo-Ralehoko's said. "The purchase of the vehicle and its theft raised suspicions which I think the government and police must fully investigate."
Qacha, it seems, is also embroiled in other disciplinary cases involving financial mismanagement.
"The circumstances pertaining to the (car purchase and theft) have caused serious embarrassment to my family, the Gauteng provincial government and the ANC... it was never my intention to circumvent any government procedure," Nkomo-Ralehoko said. She was appointed MEC on May 8 and stepped down from a salary package of over R1m a year.
Simon Zwane, provincial government spokesperson, said Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane would still have to "apply her mind" to who would replace the MEC.
The DA praised Nkomo-Ralehoko for "doing the right thing". But it said the department still had serious problems to deal with such as poor service delivery and staff vacancies.
Spokesman for the ANC in Gauteng, Nkenke Kekana, welcomed the MEC's resignation on Friday.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Pretoria News on June 06, 2009
Johannesburg
