Provincial education CFO suspended over alleged misconduct

Eastern Cape department of education CFO Jason O’Hara  has been suspended following allegations of administrative misconduct.

Department of education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said after O’Hara's failure to motivate why he should not be suspended, the department decided to place him on precautionary suspension.

Pulumani did not elaborate on what the alleged administrative misconduct related to. 

According to an article published by DispatchLIVE, earlier  in 2019 the director of the nutrition programme, Verona Witbooi, accused O’Hara of placing a moratorium on all procurement and payments for the 2018/2019 financial year.

On Wednesday, Pulumani said: “In the interest of good management and  best practice the department decided to place the CFO on precautionary suspension.

“This is based on allegations of administrative misconduct that are considered serious enough to justify further in-depth investigations.”

O’Hara, who was appointed in March 2018, was tasked with financially turning the cash-strapped institution around.

“A team of external investigators with necessary expertise has been assembled and due process of investigation is under way.

“The suspension is by no means a presumption or an accusation of guilt,” Pulumani said.

She said it was  merely a precautionary measure “to preserve the integrity of the investigation and to dispel any accusation of undue interference”.

This is a developing story.