- The order to freeze the pension of Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development CFO Jacob Basil Hlatshwayo has been extended
- The order follows an investigation by the SIU into the alleged irregular awarding of a PPE contract to a company by the department.
- Hlatshwayo was ordered to pay legal costs for opposing the extension application.
The Special Tribunal has
extended an order which froze the pension of the former chief financial officer
of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Jacob Hlatshwayo,
pending civil proceedings against him relating to the irregular awarding of personal
protective equipment (PPE) tenders
In a virtual sitting on Friday, Judge Lebogang Modiba extended an order granted in December for Hlatshwayo to show why the interim order should not be made final. It has been extended to 8 March.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) approached the court in December asking it to interdict the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) from releasing Hlatshwayo's pension.
"The applicants in the matter [the SIU] argued before the Special Tribunal that they intend instituting civil proceedings against Mr Hlatshwayo to recover the losses incurred by the state as a result of his alleged misconduct. While this was unfolding Mr Hlatshwayo resigned," the tribunal said.
It pointed out, in the judgment, that in the event misconduct was established, either the SIU or the department was entitled to demand from the GEPF to deduct money from Hlatshwayo's pension fund.
He was also ordered to pay legal costs for opposing the extension.
"This is after he raised technical issues with the extension of the rule nisi from 1 March 2021 to 8 March 2021. It is contended before the Special Tribunal that Mr Hlatshwayo is implicated in Covid-19-related procurement misconduct," the tribunal said.