Cape Town - Taxpayers have coughed more than R360 000 in salary and benefits to suspended CEO of Denel Dynamic, Sello Ntsihlele, since his suspension on full pay late last year.
In a reply to parliamentary questions from DA MP Farhat Essack, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said Ntsihlele was put on precautionary suspension with full pay as per Denel policy on November 18, 2022.
“The cumulative salary paid from November 2022 to March 2023 is R 360 325.13,” Gordhan said.
He also said Denel Dynamics was expected to conclude its disciplinary processes against Ntsihlele in May 2023.
“I would like to emphasise that Denel's policy on precautionary suspension aligns with the Labour Relations Act, which mandates employees to be suspended with full pay while investigations into allegations against them are being conducted.
“Denel remains committed to ensuring that its disciplinary processes are carried out in a fair, transparent manner and in compliance with the law.”
He said as the Minister of Public Enterprises he would continue to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate action to address any concerns that may arise.
Meanwhile, the resolution to relocate Denel from Public Enterprises to the Department of Defence and Military required certain processes to be followed.
This is according to Defence Minister Thandi Modise when she was responding to parliamentary questions from ANC MP Thabo Mmutle.
“The relocation of Denel, the state-owned armaments manufacturing institution, necessitates the participation of the entire government, especially the Department of Public Enterprises, under which it falls, as well as National Treasury,” Modise said.
She said her department could not execute the process on its own.
“They must also be satisfied that there is due diligence prior to relocation. There will also be legal ramifications from the relocation.”
Modise said the deadline for the relocation of Denel could not yet be defined because they are dependent on the fulfilment of the conditions involving Public Enterprises and the National Treasury.
Cape Times