26 August 2024
By REGINALD KANYANE
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training were left fuming after the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), made an assertion that their appearance before the committee to account was based on rumours.
CETA, the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA) and labour union National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) appeared before the committee for a briefing on issues such as audit action plans to rectify the audit findings of the 2022/23 financial year, employee wellness and on allegations of corruption and governance irregularities.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Tebogo Letsie expressed concerns that CETA has spent around R300 million on law firms to deal with various matters. Letsie said that CETA told them that, its planned overseas benchmarking study received negative media coverage, which scandalised the CEO and that the trip was not cancelled but postponed.
“I found the comments from the CETA executive distasteful and disrespectful, given that the committee holds accountable those who use public funds. We are going to write officially to the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Director-General that the CETA benchmarking trip must be cancelled as the term of the board is coming to an end.
“The countries targeted by the construction CETA for the benchmarking were not known for best practices in the construction sector. So, we are concerned that the Services SETA has received a qualified audit opinion for four consecutive financial years since the 2018/19 financial year,” he said.
Letsie further expressed concerns that governance challenges at CETA have resulted in the entity being under administration in 2011 and 2020, with the subsequent dissolution of the relevant boards. He added that the committee recommended that the Director-General responsible for SETAS from the Department of Higher Education and Training, needs to be able to deal with problems under his/her portfolio and, if unable to do so, they must face consequences.
“The committee recommended that CETA must not issue adverts calling for nominations for new board members until the current board provides the committee with reports on current governance challenges.
“The committee further requested a list of all senior executives and their professional history dating back ten years,” said Letsie.
Meanwhile, the NEHAWU union representative from CETA told the committee that there is widespread bullying and victimisation at the entity. She also fears victimisation for speaking out against the CEO.
The Guardian 