The chief executive of South African National Parks, Fundisile Mketeni, has been granted R2,000 bail after appearing in court on assault and sexual assault charges.
The criminal complaints against Mketeni have also resulted in him taking special leave from his SANParks duties.
SANParks revealed this in a media statement, saying he went on special leave after the assault and sexual assault complaints were laid against him on Friday in Skukuza, Kruger National Park.
He appeared in court on Monday, together with three other individuals on similar charges. Two of his co-accused are male SANParks employees while the third person is a woman who is not a SANParks employee, read the statement.
SANParks board chairperson, Joanne Yawitch, said: "In line with SANParks’ commitment to ethical conduct and the seriousness of the allegations, Mr Mketeni has requested to take special leave until such time that this matter has been resolved and the law has taken its course.
“The Board of SANParks views the allegations made in an extremely serious light and will allow the court proceedings to take their course and reach conclusions on the allegations. The Board will however investigate whether the circumstances surrounding the allegations led to any improper or illegal conduct which may affect the employment relationship.”
Dr Luthando Dziba, the managing executive, conservation services has been appointed as acting CEO.
SanParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla told SowetanLIVE on Tuesday that Mketeni was asked by the police to present himself in court, "which he duly did".
"He appeared in court and was granted a R2,000 bail."
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi told SowetanLIVE he would comment later.
SANParks boss Mketeni out on R2,000 bail over assault and sexual assault charges
The chief executive of South African National Parks, Fundisile Mketeni, has been granted R2,000 bail after appearing in court on assault and sexual assault charges.
The criminal complaints against Mketeni have also resulted in him taking special leave from his SANParks duties.
SANParks revealed this in a media statement, saying he went on special leave after the assault and sexual assault complaints were laid against him on Friday in Skukuza, Kruger National Park.
He appeared in court on Monday, together with three other individuals on similar charges. Two of his co-accused are male SANParks employees while the third person is a woman who is not a SANParks employee, read the statement.
SANParks board chairperson, Joanne Yawitch, said: "In line with SANParks’ commitment to ethical conduct and the seriousness of the allegations, Mr Mketeni has requested to take special leave until such time that this matter has been resolved and the law has taken its course.
“The Board of SANParks views the allegations made in an extremely serious light and will allow the court proceedings to take their course and reach conclusions on the allegations. The Board will however investigate whether the circumstances surrounding the allegations led to any improper or illegal conduct which may affect the employment relationship.”
Dr Luthando Dziba, the managing executive, conservation services has been appointed as acting CEO.
SanParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla told SowetanLIVE on Tuesday that Mketeni was asked by the police to present himself in court, "which he duly did".
"He appeared in court and was granted a R2,000 bail."
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi told SowetanLIVE he would comment later.