Why are two Public Works DGs suspended at the same time?

The Minister of Public Works, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, has placed the acting Director General (DG) of the department, Sam Vukela, on "special leave". Mr. Vukela was appointed as acting DG after the previous incumbent, Siviwe Dongwana, was suspended during the tussle over the SAPS lease saga. He currently remains on suspension. This means that the Public Works department now has two DGs on some form of suspension - both at full pay - at the same time.

This is symptomatic of a department that is in chaos. There is clearly a crisis in leadership in the department of public works. The Minister needs to explain the reasoning behind the suspensions, in addition to answering the myriad other scandals that continue to plague her administration. These include the SAPS lease deal saga, her decision to authorise the unnecessary purchase of a large number of mansions for ministers and her difficult relationship with the Public Protector.

It would be extremely ironic if the minister's decisions with regards to her DGs have been informed by the Public Protector reports or the Auditor General's report as the Minister is yet to account for her own role in terms of those reports.

The bottom line is that the department of public works needs an urgent turnaround. The leadership situation needs to be resolved; the Minister needs to answer some difficult questions and the department needs to start working again. I will be tabling these matters for discussion in the portfolio committee and will be submitting written questions to the minister to establish the reasons for this latest move. 

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Works, September 19 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter