Public protector probes Gauteng legislature over R1.8m hire

The public protector is investigating allegations of irregular appointments in the Gauteng legislature which saw former Mpumalanga legislature secretary Linda Mwale appointed as acting secretary of the Gauteng legislature.

Mwale, who resigned from the Mpumalanga legislature under a dark cloud after he was accused of procurement irregularities, has approved the appointment of Sfiso Mnisi as the speaker’s chief of staff “without meeting minimum qualification requirements”.

In a letter to Gauteng legislature speaker Morakane Mosupyoe dated September 4 2025, the public protector’s Gauteng representative, Vusumuzi Xolani Dlamini, said Mnisi was employed as an executive, earning a salary of R1.8m per annum with no post-matric qualifications.

“Mnisi is at home after an alleged illness since December 2024. Mwale approved the extended stay at home without any work being done but claiming he is working from home. There is no approved policy for working from home,” Dlamini said in a letter seen by Business Day.

“No proper process has been followed to approve Mnisi’s long sick leave or alternatively his working from home. This conduct amounts to maladministration on the part of the accounting officer because taxpayers’ monies have been used to pay someone who is sitting at home.”

In the letter Dlamini stated the Gauteng legislature advertised the post of secretary in February 2025. Mwale, who was acting in the position, applied and was interviewed on May 30 2025 alongside other candidates and was “regarded as the front runner”.

We can confirm the recruitment and appointment process has been finalised and Mr Mwale has not been appointed as secretary to the legislature

—  Dipolelo Ramokgopa, Mosupyoe’s spokesperson

However, advocate Mpho Maloka was appointed to the position on September 1 2025.

“Mwale was acting in the position but somebody else was appointed. I spoke to them [Gauteng legislature] last week. They said this guy [Mwale] was not appointed,” Godwin Kok from the office of the public protector told Business Day on Thursday.

He stressed, however, the investigation was ongoing and would “probably be completed in the next two months”. The complaint was anonymously reported to the public protector on June 30 2025.

Dlamini said the procurement irregularities flagged while Mwale was Mpumalanga legislature secretary were investigated by the public protector and there were adverse findings made against him.

However, no remedial action was taken “simply because he was no longer employed by the legislature”.

When contacted for comment, Mosupyoe’s spokesperson Dipolelo Ramokgopa said: “Regarding the pending appointment of Mr Mwale as the secretary to the Gauteng legislature, we can confirm the recruitment and appointment process has been finalised and Mr Mwale has not been appointed as secretary to the legislature.

“In relation to Mr Sifiso Mnisi, he is appointed as a political staff member in the office of the speaker. His designation as chief of staff is at the discretion of the speaker as the political principal, in line with the handbook for the Provision of Support to Presiding Officers. The handbook serves as a guideline with regard to the administrative and support services provided to presiding officers.”