A former deputy director general at Mpumalanga Health, who claimed he was unfairly dismissed for authorising irregular expenditure, has lost his Labour Court bid to be reinstated. A Times Live report says Victor Makhubedu took the department to the Labour Court in Johannesburg in 2017 to try to overturn its decision to let him go, but has now been told that his dismissal was fair. Makhubedu and two others were initially suspended in 2014 on accusations that they had caused the department to overspend by R57m, and during their suspension still received their salaries. Makhubedu was the only one who was dismissed for his role in the alleged misspending.
Makhubedu was adamant that there was no proper evidence in relation to the rule that he allegedly breached. He pointed out in court that two other employees had also been charged in respect of the same incident, but were reinstated despite being found guilty. Mpumalanga Health argued that it was Makhubedu’s duty as a financial leader to avoid irregular expenditure and manage the department’s finances.
Judge Johan Olivier ultimately sided with the department, ruling that the decision to fire Makhubedu was “reasonable”. He dismissed Makhubedu’s application.
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-08-12-accused-of-misspending-mpuma-health-director-claims-he-was-unlawfully-fired/"]Times Live report (subscription needed)[/link]