Ekurhuleni Metro Human Resources boss Linda Gxasheka has denied suspending a former metro police boss while on leave and on his way out.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended Ekurhuleni head of Human Resources Linda Gxasheka on Friday defended her decision to suspend former acting metro police head Revo Spies despite being on leave and serving notice.
Gxasheka continued giving her evidence at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry probing widespread allegations of wrongdoing within the SA Police Service and some of its most senior officers, the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metropolitan police departments, the National Prosecuting Authority, and related institutions such as the Independent Directorate Against Corruption.
She told the commission chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga that Spies had been flagged for an alleged irregular contract extension, for which he was suspended by Gxasheka despite being on leave and pending his departure from the municipality.
Spies is now deputy commissioner at the Tshwane Metro Police Department.
He appears to have been vindicated as an arbitration award described as “truly emphatic” by evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson exonerated him.
Gxasheka signed the notice of intention to suspend in 2025 with another official.
Asked by Chaskalson why she signed off on the suspension, she said it was something that she would have to work on and that the municipality needed to look on. She insisted that processes were followed.
“Putting someone on suspension is not punitive, it’s for us to investigate,” Gxasheka insisted.
According to Gxasheka, the reason for putting an employee on suspension is to investigate in order for that person not to interfere in the probe. She described an award in favour of Spies as subject to review.
“It was handed down without me having participated in the process,” said Gxasheka, adding that arbitration awards were subject to the facts that are put before the arbitrator.
During her testimony, Gxasheka apologised for accusing Spies of fraud and withdrew the allegations, saying misleading statements might be different to fraud.
In December, the Ekurhuleni Metro suspended Gxasheka with immediate effect following a council decision a month earlier.
She was afforded an opportunity to make written representations prior to a final decision being taken and these representations were duly considered before the decision was reached.
The inquiry continues.