Audit exposes workplace 'bullying' at SKMTH
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday December 20, 2021 06:00
The audit report on non-renewal of a contract for one Keorapetse Mooketsi, who was procurement manager at the institution released in April 2021, suggests that he was ‘bullied and sidelined’ by management.
According to a report seen by Mmegi, internal audit received a request from the then chairperson of the SKMTH board of directors, Dr Goabamang Tsie, to consider circumstances surrounding the decision by management not to renew Mooketsi’s employment contract. Mooketsi had complained to the board about the matter.
Internal audit manager, Samuel Segotso states in the report that, “based on the foregoing, it is internal audit’s view that Mooketsi was treated unfairly and disrespectfully throughout most of his stay at SKMTH particularly by former acting commissioning manager and also former finance manager, Kutlwano Mswela and another former senior hospital employee (name withheld). This hostility, according to the audit report, surely affected his performance and contributed to some of the mistakes he committed in the course of his work.”
The auditors called for Mooketsi to be reinstated and provided with an environment that would enable effective delivery for him, being provision of two adequately qualified procurement officers in order to make the department more effective.
“It is inexplicable and rather shocking that procurement’s efforts to improve its resourcing were thwarted by management despite the very risky nature of the function. Mooketsi attends standard meetings three days of the week, and management tender committee meeting every Wednesday. This leaves inadequate time for the procurement manager to thoroughly go through sensitive bid/procurement documents which are processed every week and which carry potential compliance, litigation and reputation risks, amongst others,” the auditors noted.
The auditors also stated that a strange development occurred on September 9, 2019 when the then commissioning manager, Dr Thato Moumakwa sent out an email to all SKMTH staff advising that as of the following day, procurement would report to finance both functionally and administratively. “Clearly, this arrangement undermined the procurement manager who would then be required to report to a fellow manager. This restructuring act by the CM was not sanctioned by the board and was further done without due consultation with Mooketsi,” reads the report.
According to the audit report, based on a separate investigation by internal audit on the extension of the contract of a certain security company (names withheld), wherein, Mswela, Ogotseng and former commissioning manager Dr Moumakwa allegedly colluded to circumvent due process and make an extension award to the company at an unacceptably exorbitant and non-market related price.
“It is reasonable to conclude that the spiteful attitude towards Mooketsi could have been a result of him being seen as a hindrance to the performance of similar fraudulent acts. Stripping procurement of its independence by causing the department to be under Mswela’s control was possibly a way to weaken Mooketsi and create an environment more accommodating of wrongdoing and abuse of power by the trio,” Segotso wrote.
In another shocking incident, the auditors state that in January 2021, “while he was on leave as acting CM, Mswela convened an emergency meeting to announce that Mooketsi’s contract would not be renewed amongst other announcements.” He further went on to announce that one Gaone Molefhe, a temporary procurement officer would act in the procurement manager’s role. It was said all these were announced in front of Mooketsi and his surbodinates.
On other issues, enquiries with the management accountant and the financial accountant, “revealed and confirmed that on multiple occasions at their departmental meetings, Mooketsi was humiliated and allegedly verbally abused in front of his subordinates by Mswela. To them, Mswela’s dislike for Mooketsi was never in question, which justified why he never supported the efforts to sufficiently resource the procurement department,” stated the report.
Contacted for comment to give his side of the story on the audit claims, Dr Moumakwa said he would not respond to the report he had not seen. He would not even discuss whether what it contains is true or not. On the other hand, Mswela would also not respond to questions stating that he was not aware of any report nor wrongdoing he had done while still employed at SKMTH.
Meanwhile, Dr Tsie who has since left the board of SKMTH said he could not discuss the matter as it was internal. “Like the current board chairperson Basimane Bogopa told you, this is a matter between an employer and employees. I was in the position to execute the mandate and did so following the rules and regulations of the employer. I therefore, cannot discuss it with you,” he said.
For his part, SKMTH PR and communications manager, Motabaseyo Nameela said: “Please note that internal audits are an ongoing part of the governance processes of the hospital. They are intended to identify areas of weakness and opportunities for improvement within the hospital operations in line with best corporate governance practices.”
He stressed that employer relations are contractual and confidential matters that may not be discussed with third parties.