Secretary to Parliament Zingile Dingani and the institution’s chief financial officer Leslie Mondo have been placed on special leave, Parliament has announced

“Following the decision of the presiding officers to conduct an investigation into the salary advance of R186,000... Dingani, the secretary and... Mondo have requested and have been granted leave pending the investigation with effect from 26 March 2012,” it said in a statement.

Deputy Secretary to Parliament Michael Coetzee had been appointed to act as secretary to Parliament until further notice.

Last week, it was announced that Dingani would be investigated for allegedly using R186,000 of Parliament’s money to build a wall around his house.

“The presiding officers of Parliament have noted with serious concern the reportage around the advance salary payment made, in December 2011, to the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Zingile Dingani, for the construction of a security wall at his residence,” said a statement from Parliament on Friday.

The presiding officers — National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu and National Council of Provinces Chairman Mninwa Mahlangu — had taken a decision to refer the matter for investigation to the Auditor General.

If it was found that such an investigation was outside the AG’s scope, the Public Protector would be requested to take the investigation up under the auspices of her office, it said.

According to the Sunday Times, Dingani was given permission for the advance by Sisulu after a security assessment of his home.

When Sisulu discovered there was no proper policy on securing the homes of senior managers, he demanded that Dingani repay the money and an arrangement was made for him to repay the amount in monthly instalments of R10,000.

However, his December instalment was refunded to him. Dingani earns R1.8 million a year.

In 2009, a senior management meeting, chaired by Dingani, agreed that financial assistance to parliamentary staff, including loans, be stopped.