Johannesburg - A top employee in the office of the Auditor-General (AG) has earned almost R1m while sitting at home as the battle to fire her, and recover the R12 542.50 she allegedly misappropriated, continues to gobble up more funds.
The AG has spent more than R3m to pursue Bridget Mohlala, the former business executive of operational and transactional management who earns R920 000 a year.
The costs consist of legal fees, a forensic audit report, her salary while sitting at home and the hiring of two consultants acting in her absence.
Mohlala was suspended with full pay on October 25 last year for allegedly committing irregularities in her unit.
Mohlala also left the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) under a cloud in 2005.
She landed her new job at the AG's office while a case of theft was opened with the police after R38 000 mysteriously disappeared from Icasa's safe. Fin24's sister publication City Press cannot confirm what has happened to the theft charge.
...
Mohlala's alleged irregularities involve cash advances, travel and subsistence claims, petty cash and overtime. They resulted in her facing 10 charges in terms of, among others, the AG's Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, the Code, Policy and Procedure on Corrective Action and the Public Audit Act No 25 of 2004.
...
The charge sheet says Mohlala requisitioned a R5 000 cash advance on or about September 19 last year to pay for two conferences at Sun City on September 25-27 and October 1-3 when she knew the conferences had already been paid for.
Mohlala is said to have abused her power and been dishonest by instructing a junior employee to obtain a cash advance of R2 500 in the employee's name and "pay it to her (Mohlala)" for Alexander's farewell party, says the charge sheet.
...
She was also accused of lying to investigators and breaching her suspension conditions by contacting and colluding with her colleagues while on suspension. She is said to have influenced two employees to resign from the AG.
Sign up with Google
