The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, to place the Acting CEO of Government Printing Works (GPW), Alinah Fosi, on immediate suspension pending an investigation into her alleged suspicious behaviour.
Fosi, who is currently in the running to be appointed as the permanent CEO of GPW, has a host of allegations against her ranging from:
- Questions around her qualifications for the CEO position;
- Using taxpayer money to pay for business class tickets to travel with friends to France for a “workshop”;
- Intimidating GPW employees;
- Unnecessarily hosting a workshop worth approximately R500 000 at a Bela-Bela hotel; to
- Overseeing the appointment of suppliers for this workshop without following due procurement processes.
However, it seems despite the serious allegations against her, the Minister and ANC members on the portfolio committee of Home Affairs seems comfortable to turn a blind eye to her alleged discretions in order to ensure that she is permanently appointed. In correspondence to the portfolio committee, a whistleblower alleges that the push for her permanent appointment is to ensure that ANC allies benefit financially from key Government Printing Works projects worth billions.
The Minister has indicated that there is currently an ongoing investigation into the allegations levelled against Fosi, however, she is still at the helm of the entity and continuing to wreak havoc. The DA also questions why the Minister would even consider shortlisting and interviewing her as a potential candidate when she is at the centre of what has become an extremely corrupt working environment at GPW.
In a recent portfolio committee meeting, held on the 11th May 2020 when pushed for details on the investigation, the Minister supported by ANC MPs refused to give answers.
The GPW provides key and important services to the South African Government, including the printing of smart ID cards, passports and visas. The questions surrounding Fosi’s leadership at GPW will result in further deterioration of this critical service provider.
If the Minister is looking for someone credible to be the CEO of the entity, it would have to look for someone with both the necessary qualification and credentials – qualities Fosi clearly does not possess.