MORE than two years after Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that a R500m lease for a new police headquarters was illegal and amounted to maladministration, the man who presided over the deal has been dismissed by the Department of Public Works.
The two main casualties of the deal were then-public works minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and then-police commissioner Bheki Cele, who both lost their jobs for their roles in the awarding of the contract to Pretoria businessman Roux Shabangu without going to tender.
Department spokesman Thami Mchunu on Thursday confirmed that the acting director-general at the time, Sam Vukela, had been fired after a disciplinary process. This follows reports that Mr Vukela was found to have awarded the contract after a short meeting with Lt-Gen Hamilton Hlela, where accommodation for the police was discussed.
The structure in question was the Sanlam Middestad building in Pretoria. The presiding officer in the disciplinary proceedings, advocate Lesego Montsho, reportedly found that Mr Vukela was unfit to continue in employment at the department.
The reports said that Mr Montsho had found that Mr Vukela had expressed no remorse over the awarding of the contract without going to tender, and had shown himself to be an untrustworthy person.
They further said Mr Montsho found no mitigating circumstances that would have allowed for a less severe punishment, and ruled that dismissal was the appropriate punishment.
Mr Vukela is apparently challenging the fairness of his dismissal in the bargaining council. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Democratic Alliance (DA) public works spokeswoman Anchen Dreyer welcomed the dismissal.
Ms Dreyer said that the DA very strongly insisted that public officials be held accountable for their actions.