Parliament unanimously resolved to summarily dismiss Secretary to Parliament

17 October 2019

Parliament has unanimously resolved to summarily dismiss Secretary to Parliament Mr Gengezi Mgidlana.

The National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, at separate plenary sittings today, resolved that Mr Mgidlana’s employment contract be terminated with immediate effect.

Today’s decision follows an investigation, which started in May 2017, after Parliament’s Executive Authority – Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces – had received several allegations against Mr Mgidlana. 

These included allegations of financial misconduct. The Executive Authority requested the Audit Committee to investigate the allegations. Mr Mgidlana was on paid special leave from 9 June 2017 to allow the investigation to run its course.

On 27 October 2017, the Audit Committee recommended that disciplinary action be considered against Mr Mgidlana. The Executive Authority started the disciplinary proceedings in line with the applicable procedures and as required by the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures’ Act. 

On 1 February 2018, disciplinary charges were served on Mr Mgidlana and a disciplinary hearing was scheduled to start on 12 February that year.

The disciplinary inquiry found Mr Mgidlana guilty of seven of the 13 charges and on 30 August 2019 the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing recommended his summary dismissal. 

On 11 September, National Assembly Speaker Ms Thandi Modise and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Mr Amos Masondo reported the disciplinary hearing’s outcome to the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament. 

Parliament’s appointment of Mr Mgidlana as its Secretary to Parliament, for a five-year performance-based contract, followed resolutions at House plenary sittings on 20 November 2014. 

Issued by Moloto Mothapo, Media Communicator, Parliament, 17 October 2019