Housing boss slated
REVELATIONS of irregularities at the Housing Development Agency continue to surface and the finger still points at its chief executive, Taffy Adler.
UNDER FIRE: Taffy Adler, chief executive of the Johannesburg Housing Corporation. PHOTO: Jeremy Glyn This time Adler is being slated by the agency's board for advertising a "crucial" senior post that was not even vacant.
That post - accompanied by a handsome pay package of R1.4-million - was awarded to Nellie Lester in November last year.
Sowetan has seen documents that point to serious irregularities with her appointment.
Among the other revelations detailed in the documents and relating to Lester's appointment as the agency's general manager of land acquisition is the timing of her application for the post.
She applied for the job while still serving on the HDA board and then accepted the position before stepping down.
It is not clear what relationship Adler and Lester have but the former had previously featured in this newspaper after having appointed his sister-in-law, Josie Adler, as a consultant for the HDA.
Documents reveal that Lester accepted the position in November last year but only resigned from the board in January.
The document further states that the board took Adler to task, noting that "the conduct of the chief executive officer and the concerned board member has brought dissatisfaction among staff".
The board further slated Lester for having "developed interest in holding a management position in the operations of the agency" and having undermined the governance integrity of the agency by applying for the job while still serving on its board.
Lester was further criticised for enjoying an unfair advantage over other candidates and that her "personal interests in the position undermined her objectivity, duty of care and diligence".
The board recommended an inquiry into Lester's conduct as well as appropriate actions to be taken or that she "be directed to withdraw her application" for the GM position.
Further recommendations included a probe into Adler's conduct.
In a letter addressed to Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale in January, Lester resigned from the HDA board and requested that the minister backdate the resignation to August 2011.
Sexwale was also criticised for not responding swiftly to the problems affecting the agency, but he rejected this.
"In the event of any wrongdoing the minister, as is well known, will act swiftly and our action will be loud and clear," his office said yesterday.
"At the same time, if this is a smear campaign it will be dealt with mercilessly."
Kate Shand of HDA had not responded to questions by the time of going to press. - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za
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!#Sinudeity#!
Mmm, Im confused here... The ANC connected peeps are regularly 'deployed' preferentially to positions. Why does this case get attention?As for ANC MP's, how many boards do they belong on? How many businesses do they own? Why does this case get attention?
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NwanaPhiri
white or black, corruption is exactly that and I for one would like to see more stories about corrupt white people, just to balance the equation.Report Abuse
!#Sinudeity#!
Mgaraji - Not at all, they must nail the f***ers.But, based on how common cadre deployment is, and government officials belonging to multiple boards (Heres looking at you Rhamaphosa), why is this getting attention? Most of our MP's are directors and boardmembers, most of the cadres are deployed because they are connected to the employer (SABC boss with matric certificate).
Do you see my point?
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!#Sinudeity#!
JohnStone - "Not surprising that the likes of Sinudeity will always find ways of protecting corruption if an alleged perpetrator is pale skinned."LOL, and where did I protect these people?
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!#Sinudeity#!
JohnStone - Hehe, you are scared of the DA ne... Good, it means you know that the DA will steal plenty of votes from you in the next election.Report Abuse
!#Sinudeity#!
JohnStone / Mgaraji - I think the important thing to note here is that its ANC members doing dodgy deployments. Again.Report Abuse
Mbeki_2
Corruption is all the same - only ONE solution. FIRE their black and white a$$e$ NOW !Report Abuse
!#Sinudeity#!
JohnStone - Im very vocal about corruption in the DA. Look up my twitter account, and follow my messages send to hellen about Midvaal. Dont make assumptions, because most of the time, you assume wrong."You are silent on DA corruption that started when Mandela was still in prison"
The DA wasnt in power during apartheid. Damn dude, how ignorant are you that you dont know this?
Thuli colludes with the DA? Where is your evidence?
Dude, based on the fact how you attack the DA in your comments, on an article about ANC corruption...
You are $h17 scared of the DA :) Makes me happy, because you know that the DA will be taking alot of ground in the next elections :)
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!#Sinudeity#!
JohnStone - PS my ignorant friend, there was no corruption in the WCapes advertising tender. Your only problem is that it wasnt given to a BEE company."deliberately ignoring a corrupt 30 yrs old DA tender scandal."
LOL, which 30 year old tender scandal? You do realise that the DA wasnt in power during apartheid right? Or dont you know this?
Its amazing how little these 'economic freedom fighters' know about South African history.
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Mgaraji
!#Sinudeity#!Mgaraji - Not at all, they must nail the f***ers.
But, based on how common cadre deployment is, and government officials belonging to multiple boards (Heres looking at you Rhamaphosa), why is this getting attention? Most of our MP's are directors and boardmembers, most of the cadres are deployed because they are connected to the employer (SABC boss with matric certificate).
Do you see my point?
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You are shifting the goal posts as always, this nonsense you wrote above has got nothing to do with reported story.
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