PROJECT FUNDING
Water official suspended for refusing to let unit serve as ‘honey pot’
Union says deputy director-general is being victimised for doing the right thing
Department of water & sanitation deputy director-general for national water resources infrastructure Zandile Makhathini has been suspended for refusing to allow other projects in the ministry to dip into her unit’s R12bn budget. The department has a R15bn total budget, of which R12bn is spent on water resources infrastructure. According to a senior department figure who declined to be named, the unit is generally regarded as the department’s “honey pot”. The unit is responsible for the development, operation and maintenance of water resources infrastructure and for managing water resources. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), which is representing Makhathini in her case against the department, said she is being victimised for refusing to release funds to projects that do not fall under her unit. “Her branch is one with the high budget and you will understand that everyone wants to put their hands in that budget,” the union said. This has been the case ...
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