The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo notes with concern media reports that the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) has placed its Executive Manager for Corporate Services, Mampineng Moshidi, on precautionary suspension amid allegations of nepotism and interference in a recruitment process. Should wrongdoing be confirmed, disciplinary and legal consequences must follow swiftly, transparently and without fear or favour.
According to the media, the allegations relate to the appointment process for a debt collector position, where it is alleged that interview panel scores may have been changed in favour of a close family member. LEDA has confirmed that it is aware of the allegations and that the official has been placed on precautionary suspension, while also stating that this does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing.
The DA welcomes the fact that LEDA has taken administrative action. However, a suspension with full pay must not become another open-ended, consequence-free process. The people of Limpopo deserve a clean, fair and transparent public-sector recruitment system — not one where jobs are allegedly manipulated for the connected few.
This matter is particularly serious in a province where unemployment remains devastatingly high and where thousands of young people and qualified jobseekers are desperate for opportunities. Every public-sector vacancy must be filled on merit, fairness and lawful procedure.
LEDA is an important provincial economic development agency. It cannot be allowed to become another site of cadre deployment, nepotism or internal manipulation.
The DA will closely monitor this investigation and will insist that the process is not allowed to drift into another open-ended, consequence-free suspension.
Limpopo’s public entities must serve the people — not insiders, relatives or politically connected networks.