CEDA Fires 'Errant' Employees
Staff Writer | Monday June 18, 2018 18:00
Kabelo Moalosi, who was employed as portfolio executive - services at the CEDA Palapye Branch, admitted to a forensic investigations team that he prepared and submitted a loan application for a Bread & Breakfast on behalf of his mother. He also said he had informal discussions about the project with two of his fellow workers, Victor Chivasera and Malebogo Moseki. After receiving the application, Chivasera - who was employed as team leader then allocated the file to Moseki- a portfolio executive: property & manufacturing.
Further investigations revealed that Moalosi later received and captured critical documents to the application into the CEDA computer system. He conducted site visits to the same project and signed the call report on behalf of his mother. He also filled out the Loan Appraisal Report and sent it to Moseki for vetting and submission to Chivasera. The loan application was later recommended for approval and endorsed by Chivasera.
However, the scandal was blown wide open when Palapye police arrested illegal immigrants working on the construction site of the Bed & Breakfast project.
In their report, the forensic team said Moalosi’s conduct violated the dictates of conflict of interest as defined by the Corruption and Economic Act and the CEDA Conditions of Service. The forensic team also accused Chivasera of negligence as he blindly paid for unverified work.
“All payments were made without building inspection certificates to confirm that work had been done. Chivasera and Moseki were negligent because they never had sight of the purported promoter, or even engaged her in any way when processing the loan,” said the forensic team.
The agency also paid P200,000 directly to the promoter’s account in spite of CEDA regulations, which required all payments to be made directly to suppliers or service providers. Chivasera, Moseki and Moalosi were later fired after a series of disciplinary hearings.
CEDA chief executive officer, Thabo Thamane recently vowed to root out corrupt employees at the Agency in a bid to restore its interiority.
“We will decisively deal with employees who engage in corrupt practices and actively violate CEDA policies and procedures. The Agency is a custodian of Batswana who placed trust in the integrity of its processes. It is our responsibility to uphold and preserve that trust,” he said. Thamane further dismissed allegations that CEDA was working in cahoots with the Directorate on Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) to fire targeted employees, saying all employees were disciplined according to set rules and regulations.
The Francistown Industrial Court last week heard a case in which Chivasera was challenging his dismissal. However, CEDA remained adamant that its decision was fair and procedural.
“This application for reinstatement must be dismissed. Chivasera’s relationship with CEDA has broken down irretrievably and he is not entitled to any compensation,” argued CEDA through its lawyer Doctor Pusoentsi of Modimo & Associates.