This is why public enterprises DG Kgathatso Tlhakudi was suspended

Kgathatso Tlhakudi, the director-general at the department of public enterprises, has been placed on precautionary suspension pending a disciplinary hearing.

This came after a whistle-blower allegation regarding his conduct in the process to appoint a security manager at the department. 

The suspension, at the instruction of justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola, was announced by the department on Friday.

Though Tlhakudi’s suspension was made public on Friday, TimesLIVE understands he has been on special leave since the first week of May after a whistle-blower report was filed with the Public Service Commission. 

The complaint, TimesLIVE understands, was that Tlhakudi overruled panel recommendations in the process to appoint a security manager in the department. 

Tlhakudi could not immediately be reached for comment. 

After being away for five weeks at public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s instruction, Tlhakudi forcefully returned to the office last Monday and called a meeting with senior officials in his office, TimesLIVE has learnt. 

This was apparently because he felt the minister cannot suspend him, only the president can, TimesLIVE was told. On the same day he was called to a meeting with the director-general in the presidency, Phindile Baleni, a government source with intimate knowledge of the rift said.   

They also said there had been tension brewing between the DG and his boss Gordhan — with the former apparently being frustrated at being shut out of some key actions and processes inside the department.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the “special leave” said it had been extended twice since May 5 while the department was conducting preliminary investigations — including in one instance where he was back in the department for a short while but sent home again . 

Deputy director-general Jacky Molisane had been acting as DG during Tlhakudi’s special leave.

“The minister iced him out of the entire process, including the panel that interviewed candidates,” said one source.  The other said: “The DG has butted heads with the minister’s office a number of times because he attempted to rein in officials in the department who were acting on issues inside the department without his knowledge.” 

TimesLIVE