Two leaders of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) at the office of the Premier in Limpopo are appearing before a disciplinary hearing for alleged fraud and misrepresentation.
Norman Mavhunga and Ndivhuho Phathela are alleged to have defrauded the state of over a million-rand over a period of time.
Mavhunga and Phathela have been vocal on alleged fraud and corruption in the provincial government.
Premier spokesperson, Willie Mosoma, says the charges against the pair are not politically-motivated.
“Whoever would want to claim that whatever is happening which is relating to employer employee relationship is politically motivated, that one has the right to express his or her view. But we want to dismiss it with the contempt it deserves. Any narrative that seeks to say that governments [people] are charged based on politics because in this office of the premier the only politician is the premier no one is here for politics,” explains Mosoma.
The union has described the charges against Mavhunga and Phathela as unfounded.
Union spokesperson, Calvin Tshamano, says they are an effort to silence union leaders.
“We believe it can be associated with their recent work as a branch of exposing corruption in the office of the premier. Hence we believe that this is a targeted witch hunt to our branch leadership to that effect that they must silence their voices. Looking at the charges you can see that they’re just trumped up charges that don’t have any basis,” adds Mosoma.
