High salaries and jobs for friends: Former Pikitup MD implicated in Public Protector's report
1 November 2018
Former Pikitup managing director Amanda Nair has featured prominently in the Public Protector's report on the waste management service provider, with legal action against her being one of the recommendations.
The report, which was publicly released by advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Wednesday afternoon, highlights improper salary increases, irregular awarding of contracts and recruitment violations.
Mkhwebane called for the current Pikitup chairperson to institute civil litigation against Nair and any seniors who acted with her during her tenure as managing director within three months of her report's release.
She called for the "recovery of unauthorised, fruitless or wasteful expenditure by Nair or any official in their personal capacity for all the financial misconduct identified".
Mkhwebane said that an actual amount for civil litigation was to be determined by the Pikitup board "following a thorough verification of financial losses emanating from the procurement and misconduct".
"The chairperson of the Pikitup board must ensure that disciplinary steps are taken against all implicated officials of Pikitup who together with Nair, flouted, subverted or violated the Municipal Finance Management Act and [supply chain policy]."
Better salaries for friends and family
Shocking details emerged from the report which said Nair hired the son of her domestic worker as an intern and retained him as a permanent staff member ahead of other hopeful candidates.
While other interns received a stipend of R2 000 per month, the young man was inexplicably paid R9 500.
The report went on to say that those close to Nair were always taken care of.
"There are salary discrepancies among employees of Pikitup as all officials related to Nair were remunerated on higher salary scale levels."
The report stated how one employee was paid R3 000 per month in October 2011, but when he became Nair's executive driver in 2012, his salary was adjusted to R15 000 per month. At the time of a complaint being lodged against Nair, his salary was nearly R17 000.
Mkhwebane's report said that corrective measures in the form of an implementation plan would have to be handed to her office by the Pikitup chairperson in 15 days.
"Each remedial action... is legally binding on the person directed to implement [it], unless it is reviewed or set aside by a court or a court order."
Nair was removed from her position at Pikitup two years ago after being placed on special leave.
Pikitup eventually terminated her contract, saying that a disciplinary process would take too long. Instead it paid her out for the remainder of her contract.
Nair had been facing various allegations from the South African Municipal Workers' Union when she was placed on special leave.
