Supply chain manager reinstated
AFTER being dismissed by the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) in Burgersfort, the supply chain manager, Osilias Mosoma has been reinstated
LIMPOPO – AFTER being dismissed by the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) in Burgersfort, the supply chain manager, Osilias Mosoma has been reinstated, however, he claims he was harassed on his return to work.
Mosoma was suspended in June 2013 along with the former chief financial officer, David Mogofe and previous municipal manager (MM), Lemon Phala for alleged fraud. The trio was dismissed in 2014.
Mosoma argued he was not guilty and recently won his arbitration case, clearing him and enabling him to commence his duties again.
Mosoma resumed work recently, accompanied by South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members as they were afraid he might be victimised.
Samwu’s chairperson in Tubatse, Nelson Mokgotho, said there was a fight over ownership and control of strategic units at the municipality and there were people who wanted to get rid of Mosoma.
According to the reports seen by CV, Mosoma was fired for the appointment of consultants for the Integrated National Electrification Programme Projects. These were overruled by Phala in terms of the supply-chain management policy. Mosoma therefore questioned how the municipal manager’s decisions affected him.
The newspaper has also seen copies of the council resolution in which the appointments of the MM for the electrification of villages was reported and condoned by the municipal council. CV learnt that Mosoma was suspended and fired without a hearing. On Friday, the Tubatse Samwu branch wrote a letter to GTM acting MM, Mike Moja alleging that Mosoma was harassed while reporting for work.
Mokgotho alleges that a verbal instruction was given to security personnel to prevent Mosoma from entering the GTM premises.
Meanwhile, the Tubatse Residents’ Association and the Ethics Association of South Africa alleged that the GTM’s woes were fuelled by political intervention by the mayor, Ralepane Mamekoa, the chief whip, Queen Moeng and the speaker, Samson Nkosi.
Spokesperson for the municipality, Thabiso Mokoena, said Mosoma was back and happy at work. “Moja has welcomed him back, and I don’t know of any reports about him being harassed or victimised,” he said.
