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The Bloemfontein-based Mangaung Metro Municipality’s Centlec CEO is once again in the spotlight in the wake of scathing allegations against him.

Allegations resurfaced suggesting that Malefame Sekoboto has been engaging in nepotism practices and targeting employees who refused to comply with his directives.

An anonymous source told OFM News Sekoboto appointed his son and five other family members at the same time in the past year and even made sure he suspended shop stewards who questioned him about the shortlisting process of the appointments.

In October, Ishmael Oageng, who was representing a manager under provisional suspension, said that those whose views differ from Sekoboto's are being targeted and dealt with through dubious means. 

A copy of an email dated 1 December 2023, which was provided to OFM News, shows that the municipal workers' union requested Samwu to meet the chief executive following the suspension of five union representatives on 28 August 2023.

Four of the five representatives were also suspended earlier.

The email alleges that the shop stewards were suspended for five weeks, while Sekoboto employed his son and nephew as accounting officer. It's understood that the suspended shop stewards were later told to report to work without going through the disciplinary processes. The union called for immediate investigations, but the email was never responded to.

Furthermore, Sekoboto is stated to have used deliberate delay tactics with some suspended workers to ensure that the period of their contract ends, strategically placing people in the positions of those suspended and paying salaries for the same positions. This led to wasteful expenditure.

In response, Centlec spokesperson Lele Mamatu shared documents showing that one of the workers suspended last year went through the company's disciplinary process. The suspension is being extended by three months this year for further investigations.

Other documents provided show that on 24 November, some of the trade union representatives were out of the trade unionists and were also not allowed to use the trade union because internal disciplinary procedures had not been completed. Some of the members challenged the union after it reached an agreement with Centlec during the disciplinary hearing.

Other documents provided show that some of the shop stewards were suspended from the union on 24 November 2023. They are also not allowed to represent the union until internal disciplinary processes have been completed. It's understood some members in question defied the union after it had reached an agreement with Centlec during the disciplinary hearing.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg