Claims of witch-hunt by Pule ex-spin doctor

DINA Pule's former spin doctor has accused the Communications Department of a witchhunt after he made a protected disclosure about a R756-million tender.

On Thursday, the Communications Department's head of marketing and communications, Wisani Ngobeni, launched an urgent bid in the Johannesburg Labour Court to stop the department proceeding with disciplinary proceedings against him. Ngobeni, a former journalist, was Pule's spokesman when she was communications minister.

This is not the first time Ngobeni has approached the court.

In November, the court ordered the department to allow him to return to his job after Pule's successor, Yunus Carrim, tried to transfer him to Free State premier Ace Magashule's office.

Now Ngobeni claims he is being targeted because he made a disclosure of wrongdoing to Carrim. He has accused the department's director-general, Rosey Sekese, of "gross financial misconduct" in awarding a tender to Media Corner to provide advertising services to the department, as well as a public awareness campaign on South Africa's digital migration.

Ngobeni said Media Corner proposed the department spend R756-million on advertising over three years. This was approved by Sekese, despite the department not having the necessary budget.

"It was my view the director- general committed gross financial misconduct in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act in approving the proposed expenditure," he said.

Ngobeni said despite doing no work, Media Corner presented invoices and the department's deputy director-general, Sam Vilakazi, authorised payment of more than R60-million to it.

Ngobeni's allegations prompted President Jacob Zuma last month to authorise an investigation into the department by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

On Thursday, Ngobeni asked the court to confirm that his disclosure to Carrim was protected under the Protected Disclosures Act, the country's whistleblower legislation.

However, the department said Ngobeni was being investigated for misconduct on the hiring of another service provider, which was unrelated to the disclosure, and this investigation predated his disclosure.

In an affidavit opposing Ngobeni's application, Sekese said that after Ngobeni was seconded to the department to counter the negative publicity about Pule, Ngobeni met Media Corner to amend its contract.

But after no agreement was reached, Blue Raindrops Advertising was appointed to arrange an awareness event.

The invoice for this work was later queried.

"The queries concerned irregularities around the appointment of the service provider and what appeared to be inflated amounts on the invoice," Sekese said.

The finance division raised these concerns with Ngobeni, who insisted the invoice be paid despite the irregularities.

"At this point, Ngobeni was informed that the matter would be taken further and investigated," she said.

The court reserved judgment. - Ernest Mabuza