Durban - A former employee of the eThekwini Municipality who was controversially hired as a “helper” for former mayor Zandile Gumede has emerged from the wilderness to get a top job in the KwaZulu-Natal department of sports, arts and culture.
Thabisile Ncayiyane has been unveiled as the new head of ministry, one of the highest-paying jobs in the civil service.
Ncayiyane was employed by eThekwini around December 2016, shortly after Gumede started her ill-fated tenure as mayor.
NEWS: KZN ANC PEC member and MEC for Sport, Amanda Bani has unveiled an alleged former EPWP ghost worker in eThekwini under former Mayor, Zandile Gumede, as her Head of Ministry (HoM). Thabisile Ncayiyana's name features prominently in Gumede's corruption investigations. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 16, 2023
Her employment sparked a probe by the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU) after it was alleged that she did not have the required qualifications to take up the senior management position that came with a salary of R50 000 a month.
It is not clear in the CIIU report why she was deemed not qualified for the position, as according to her official CV provided with consent to IOL, Ncayiyane by then held a National Diploma in Public Management from the Mangosuthu University of Technology, a Bachelor's degree in Technology Public Management from the Durban University of Technology and a Certificate in Public Diplomacy from the Diplo Foundation.
Ncayiyane allegedly built a relationship with Gumede while she worked at King Shaka International Airport in Durban and doubled as her assistant during Gumede’s ANC electoral campaign to become eThekwini regional chairperson.
She later resigned to join her in the City and landed the job that kept her on the side of Gumede, raising eyebrows.
Later, she emerged on the payroll of EPWP workers where she was allegedly paid R2 090 a day while the rest of the staff of the unit was being paid the stipulated R135.
It was alleged that when questions were asked about her employment, she disappeared and even the SAPS issued an official note of a missing person.
A frantic search for her ensued and she was found in Richmond in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
At the time, the matter of her employment had already been reported to the KwaZulu-Natal department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) by opposition parties after the then-city manager could not provide answers.
The spokesperson for MEC Amanda Bani-Mapena, Nathi Olifant, said Ncayiyane is qualified for the post and they do not want to dwell on her past.
“We can confirm that Ms Ncayiyane has been appointed the Head of Ministry at the Office of the Executive Authority.
“We cannot comment on Ms Ncayiyane's previous employment matters which is not the basis of whether she can hold the new position or not.
“Ms Ncayiyane is suitably qualified to hold the position of Head of Ministry in line with legislated norms and standards on the appointment of staff in the offices of the Executive Council.
“Please refer to Ms Ncayiyane's qualifications below and you are welcome to verify them,” Olifant said in defence of Ncayiyane’s employment.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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