CTA BOSS WASHINGTON KHUMALO SUSPENDED

MBABANE – CTA General Transport Manager  (GTM) Washington Khumalo has been suspended from work.

Khumalo’s suspension is pending finalisation of his disciplinary hearing, where he is facing a charge of alleged gross insubordination. The general transport manager was informed of his suspension through a letter dated July 9, 2021, signed by the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Simanga Mamba. According to the charge sheet, Khumalo allegedly engaged in gross misconduct by challenging the authority of his superiors or refusing to obey a reasonable instruction. It is alleged that Khumalo did not comply with government financial and internal procurement processes and procedures as provided in the Public Finance Management Act, 2017.

Prejudiced

He is further accused of having verbally and/or making no effort to commit CTA under Head 53 and thereby failed to act with due diligence of an executive in his position and in the process severely prejudiced government’s operation. Through his lawyer, Meluleki Ndlangamandla, he has since moved an urgent application in the Industrial Court, where he is, among other prayers seeking an order lifting his suspension. The Civil Service Commission, chairperson of the CSC, principal secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the attorney general are respondents in the matter. Khumalo also wants the Industrial Court to declare his suspension in the middle of the main disciplinary hearing which commenced in October 2020, as an unfair labour practice. It is further his plea to the court that it should declare that his suspension is grossly, irregular, null and void from the date of issuance.

Circular

In his application, Khumalo narrated that on October 9, 2020, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport was embroiled in litigation with employees at CTA.   He said the origins of the litigation was  Circular No.1 of 2020 that was issued by the PS, which in fact took away the functions and all duties  which were under  his ( Khumalo) leadership. “The effect of the circular was that, I too was stripped off almost all of my duties and same were bestowed to the principal secretary. I was left with minor duties inter alia that of driver training vehicle registration, attending memos, and repair of cars when spares were availed by the PS,” alleged the transport manager. He recounted that in October 2020, while he was still observing whether the ministry would adhere to the judgment of the Industrial Court, effectively which stayed operation of Circular No.1 of 2020/21 and in essence directing that the status quo ante be restored pending consultation by the ministry with the workers’ union.

“I was instead served with an invitation to a disciplinary hearing through a letter prepared by the executive secretary of the Civil Service Commission. I was charged with gross misconduct,” submitted Khumalo. 

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