Tensions are escalating between the provincial transport department and trade union Nehawu over the failure to suspend a senior Eastern Cape transport official under investigation by the Hawks for suspected fraudulent petrol claims. The official, known to the Dispatch and based in the Joe Gqabi district, allegedly lashed out at staff after learning of the Hawks investigation. Five staff members responded by submitting a grievance against the official, and Nehawu is acting on their behalf.
In a four-hour recorded meeting in March 2025, the official allegedly referred to the staff as liars and betrayers, repeatedly using biblical analogies and referring to staff as “Judas”. The tension has arisen because the transport department is refusing to suspend the official “based on allegations”. The official is accused of claiming petrol allowances while using a state vehicle between 2022 and November 2024, which allegedly prejudiced the department.
The matter was flagged by colleagues, and a whistle-blower reported it to the Hawks. The five members, through Nehawu, argued that they could no longer work with the official until an investigation against him had been concluded. The Public Service Commission (PSC) subsequently intervened, proposing mediation between the official and the affected employees.
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The PSC said during this process, the official reportedly admitted that his conduct had been “unethical and unprofessional”. In August, the PSC reported that the workers had accepted his apology, but recommended the department hold a disciplinary hearing and place him on precautionary suspension while the Hawks investigated.
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