Durban – The former suspended Head of Department (HoD) in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works, Dr Gaster Sharpley, has quietly parted ways with the provincial government.
In the process, Sharpley took home a cool R2.1 million and quietly left the provincial civil services.
His contract was about to end this year after being placed on suspension in 2020 following allegations of misconduct against him.
According to a batch of internal official documents seen by IOL, Sharpley has been netting a monthly salary of R96 000 and some benefits while sitting at home.
Several MECs, including Jomo Sibiya who was axed by the Taliban faction of the ANC during a provincial cabinet reshuffle last year, did not settle with him and left the matter hanging.
It is not yet clear who settled with him between the department politically headed by MEC Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba and the Office of the Premier which is responsible for hiring heads of departments.
The R2.1 million was paid to Sharpley as a lump sum on 28 February this year and he then submitted his immediate resignation letter.
NEWS: The KZN Department of Public Works has quietly settled with its suspended HoD, Dr Gaster Sharpley whose contract was to end this year. IOL has seen documents showing that Sharpley netted a cool R2.1 million and left the department.
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 19, 2023
Upon further investigations, IOL learnt from sources within the department that there was a report that implicated Sharpley but its recommendations were never acted upon.
According to the sources, a report submitted to the department implicated other politically connected officials and it became a hot potato, so much that no one wanted to touch it.
The probe started after it was alleged that the Department of Public Works was paying over R2 million a year to a private consultant who worked as a compliance officer, providing support to Sharpley.
That was despite the department having over 20 senior permanent officials to provide the same services.
This had angered department officials who felt it was a waste of taxpayers’ money and a total disregard for former Premier Sihle Zikalala’s call to exercise austerity by cutting down on the unnecessary use of consultants.
In 2019 the Daily News reported that it had obtained official documents containing details of a three-year contract between MEC Peggy Nkonyeni’s department and Quinton Williams Consulting Pty (Ltd), which is originally from East London.
The paper reported that the consultant was charging the department R1 239 an hour or R9 912 a day.
The consultant also charged the department R200 000 to relocate from East London to Hilton, a leafy suburb outside Pietermaritzburg.
Mahlaba’s spokesperson, Mlungisi Khumalo, referred all questions about the matter to the Office of the Premier led by Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
The Premier’s spokesperson, Bongi Gwala, despite repeated attempts, did not respond after the questions were sent to him on Tuesday.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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