In today’s meeting of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will grill Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to give a detailed account of reasons behind the appointment of Ms Phuti Mabelebele to a senior position in her department.
Mabelebele is the wife of Mbhazima Shiviti, a director in the department. It has come to light that her appointment as Chief Director of Rights of People with Disabilities was facilitated by her husband.
The advertisement for the post required that a person with a disability be appointed. This requirement was ignored, seemingly to pave the way for the appointment of the director’s wife. Not only is Ms Mabelebele able-bodied, but she has no experience in the disability sector to justify her appointment. Mr Shiviti oversaw the process that led to the hiring of his wife, but despite this knowledge Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and the Director-General Advocate Mikateko Maluleke approved the appointment.
The DA condemns this alleged nepotism and we call on the Minister to overturn this appointment and to ensure that proper disciplinary action is instituted against Shiviti for the alleged nepotism and flouting of due processes.
It is an injustice to persons living with disabilities that a Chief Director with no history or experience in the sector has been appointed. It is also completely unacceptable for suitably qualified disabled candidates to be overlooked in this manner.
November is disability visibility month and the Minister has started it with a clear dismissal of the persons living with disabilities.
The DA will on Friday, 13 November, pose several questions to the Minister on her inaction to stop nepotism and corruption under her watch. The Minister’s failure to address irregularities happening right under her nose, makes her complicit to the deterioration of functions within her department.
People living with disabilities deserve better from the department responsible for advancing their cause.
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