Mokoena fires board

MPUMALANGA economic development MEC Norman Mokoena has again dissolved the board of the provincial Economic Growth Agency

In May the Pretoria high court set aside Mokoena's move to dissolve the board after angry board members successfully argued that it was unfair.

At the time, Mokoena cited underperformance and declining good governance as reasons for firing the board members.

The court said Mokoena should have afforded board members a chance to make individual representations, meaning that the MEC was supposed to have written to individual board members and not to the collective.

But, yesterday Mokoena announced that the board was terminated again.

The MEC said this time he had received written submissions from individual members of the board, followed by oral representations by members who elected to do so.

"I believe that after applying my mind to all representations made, there were no compelling reasons for individual members not to be removed from the board," he said.

"After due process of engagement with individual members of the board, I have come to the determination that all eight remaining board members are hereby removed with immediate effect," he said.

"I will in due course, after consultation with the executive council, appoint interim board members.

"We believe that this should now close this chapter and enable the department to start the process of fast-tracking the turnaround strategy and eventually finalise the merger of the three entities," he said.

The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency, based in Nelspruit, serves the interest of SMMEs, cooperatives and provides loans for both housing and business development.

This include focusing on trade and investment promotion.