PUBLIC Protector Thuli Madonsela has ordered Mpumalanga education MEC Reginah Mhaule to probe allegations of corruption at the Nkangala FET College.
The call follows allegations by staff at the college ranging from gross financial mismanagement, unaccounted payments, illegal claims by chief executive Peter Qwabe, bribery of council members and nepotism to staff misconduct.
Disgruntled college staff had written to Mhaule and Madonsela's offices. In August Madonsela decided to approach Mhaule when her department failed to respond to the memorandum sent out in March this year.
In thee letter to Madonsela workers said corruption at the college was so rife that only a forensic investigation could save the institution from mismanagement and abuse of power by Qwabe.
Some of the allegations levelled at Qwabe included a salary advance of R13000 paid to him by head of finance in 2005, which was unaccounted for.
Also an unaccounted R5000 paid to him for a trip to Harare and Botswana and the withdrawal of R239000 from CN Mahlangu campus without the approval of the campus manager as well as R400000 allegedly paid to Modidima Mannya for services he did not render.
Mannya is now head of the Eastern Cape education department.
It is also alleged that in 2006 Qwabe paid R200000 to one company for drafting policies that were never delivered.
Staff at the college said they pleaded with the provincial education department to investigate the shenanigans but their request fell on deaf ears.
Departmental spokesman Jasper Zwane denied allegations that his office refused to conduct a probe.
"We take issues of corruption seriously and in no instance will allegations of corruption and mismanagement remain without being probed," Zwane said.
"The fact is the department referred the allegations against Qwabe to the integrity management unit in the premier's office to investigate and we believe they are being investigated," he said.
Zwane said as soon as they received a report from the unit, appropriate action would be taken.
Attempts to contact Qwabe failed since his phone was off.
He also failed to return messages left on his cellphone voicemail.
College in focus
PUBLIC Protector Thuli Madonsela has ordered Mpumalanga education MEC Reginah Mhaule to probe allegations of corruption at the Nkangala FET College.
The call follows allegations by staff at the college ranging from gross financial mismanagement, unaccounted payments, illegal claims by chief executive Peter Qwabe, bribery of council members and nepotism to staff misconduct.
Disgruntled college staff had written to Mhaule and Madonsela's offices. In August Madonsela decided to approach Mhaule when her department failed to respond to the memorandum sent out in March this year.
In thee letter to Madonsela workers said corruption at the college was so rife that only a forensic investigation could save the institution from mismanagement and abuse of power by Qwabe.
Some of the allegations levelled at Qwabe included a salary advance of R13000 paid to him by head of finance in 2005, which was unaccounted for.
Also an unaccounted R5000 paid to him for a trip to Harare and Botswana and the withdrawal of R239000 from CN Mahlangu campus without the approval of the campus manager as well as R400000 allegedly paid to Modidima Mannya for services he did not render.
Mannya is now head of the Eastern Cape education department.
It is also alleged that in 2006 Qwabe paid R200000 to one company for drafting policies that were never delivered.
Staff at the college said they pleaded with the provincial education department to investigate the shenanigans but their request fell on deaf ears.
Departmental spokesman Jasper Zwane denied allegations that his office refused to conduct a probe.
"We take issues of corruption seriously and in no instance will allegations of corruption and mismanagement remain without being probed," Zwane said.
"The fact is the department referred the allegations against Qwabe to the integrity management unit in the premier's office to investigate and we believe they are being investigated," he said.
Zwane said as soon as they received a report from the unit, appropriate action would be taken.
Attempts to contact Qwabe failed since his phone was off.
He also failed to return messages left on his cellphone voicemail.
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