Nyanda denies rift with DG

A terse statement issued today by the Department of Communications (DOC) denies a newspaper report that communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda is about to suspend his director-general, Mamodupi Mohlala. Earlier today, national newspaper Business Day reported that Nyanda was about to suspend Mohlala following repeated disagreements over tenders she refused to sign.

The newspaper said tenders that were the subject of the disagreement included those for advising Telkom on its black economic empowerment strategy, an IT system for the South African Post Office, and the turnaround strategy for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. The report also cited the delay in the digital broadcasting migration strategy, with the process of changing SA's national TV system from analogue to digital as a point of tension between the two.

Nyanda has been on the receiving end of much criticism from the media and other sources, following his company General Nyanda Security being awarded lucrative Transnet contracts. His decision to spend more than R2 million on luxury cars, and his accommodation at luxury Cape Town hotels placed Nyanda close to the top of the official opposition Democratic Alliance's fruitless and wasteful expenditure list.

The DOC statement issued today says the minister dismisses the allegations contained in the report as false, spurious and malicious. “The minister exercises political oversight over the department and he gives it policy direction in line with his statutory and constitutional mandate. Furthermore, he respects the legal prescripts defining the scope, nature and extent of his responsibilities,” the statement says. It further denied any involvement by Nyanda in the issuing or adjudication of tenders. Such is the responsibility of the management of the department, it adds. The statement goes on to say Nyanda will continue with his responsibility of ensuring the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act, Public Service Act, and all relevant laws and regulations are adhered to and not flouted within the department.

It says Nyanda will not address the department's administration and human resources issues through the media. This position is in deference to the department's staff, including Mohlala, it notes. “The minister is dealing with issues that are impacting the management of the department internally and according to the applicable laws, regulations and public service policies,” the statement reads.

Niekie van den Berg, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of communications, says he is not surprised that reports of tension between Nyanda and Mohlala are surfacing. “I noticed during the Parliamentary briefing where both were present that the minister appeared to be very irritated in explaining why the country should be investigating another [Brazilian] system when it had already committed to a European standard,” he says. SA is in the middle of its digital migration strategy, with Cabinet having setting the switch-off date for the analogue system for 1 November 2011. Talk of changing standards at such a late stage has been vigorously opposed by the industry, broadcasters and others, as they have already committed themselves to the European standard and procured some of the equipment needed.

Source: IT Web