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The Independent Development Trust (IDT) board of trustees is at loggerheads with Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi over the return of the parastatal’s CEO, Coceko Pakade, from an eight-month suspension.
The board, made up of only two members, Octavia Matloa and Tlhotse Motswaledi, had resolved to place Pakade on special leave pending a consideration of the initial six charges against him.
Three days after being served with the notice, Pakade reported for duty, allegedly without the knowledge of the board.
He was served with a letter of demand through his lawyers, demanding that he abide by the notice of special leave or face being dragged to court to bar him.
According to the letter, Pakade is accused of taking over the CEO office and forcing the interim CEO, Butcher Matutle, who was seconded from the public works department, not to report for duty.
The letter also accuses Pakade of disrupting operations and demanding update reports of work done while he was away.
On his second day at work, Pakade issued a staff circular stating his version of the events that transpired with the previous board chairperson.
Pakade’s suspension was lifted by the Pretoria High Court after it found that the board chairperson who charged him, Nhlanhla Ngubane, lacked proper authority to do so as he was not a duly appointed trustee.
The court order that was handed out on June 19 and which City Press is in possession of, further ordered the financially strained organisation to pay Pakade’s legal costs, but was mum on the legitimacy of the six charges he was facing.
The board’s decision to place Pakade on special leave seemed to have rubbed Nxesi up the wrong way. He subsequently wrote to the board this week, lambasting it for not acting on his advice to let Pakade return, and for acting without consulting with him before taking the decision on special leave.
According to a high-placed source in the department and the letter, which City Press has also seen, Nxesi also pointed out that he had, during a previous meeting, “encouraged the board to explore the possibility of a solution outside of the legal process”.
The letter further reads in part that: “I find it difficult, however, to fathom how such a decision would be taken without even consulting with the executive authority, before it is implemented.
“Furthermore, considering that only two trustees have the written authority from the Master of the High Court to act as trustees, who took such a decision with an adverse effect on the right of the CEO?
“Will this not raise questions around the authority of the interim board to make such a decision – with most trustees not having authority to act as trustees?”
Spokesperson for the IDT Thabisile Dhlomo said the organisation could not respond to questions relating to the matter.
“The IDT is unable to make any public statements on the issues enquired about, as these matters are currently being discussed and resolved internally between Mr Pakade, the board of trustees and the minister of public works.
“Once an amicable solution is reached, the IDT will make a statement,” she said.
Pakade, through his lawyer, Ruan Rabie, also opted not to comment on the matter.
Responses to questions sent to Nxesi’s office have not been responded to.
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