SUSPENDED COUNCIL WORKER STILL POCKETS PAY

What on earth is the problem with the Council? Of course two years of sitting on her butt doing nothing while she gets a fat salary for doing absolutely nothing, should be totally unacceptable! And the kids, who are supposed to benefit from this whole exercise, once again lose out. Surely someone should be held accountable for this!

Regards

Nikki

January 30 2007 at 04:45AM

By Alex EliseevThis month, as usual, Valerie Govinden's salary arrived in her bank account. There's just one problem... Johannesburg ratepayers have paid about R800 000 for the suspended council employee to sit at home for two years. Employed by the city of Johannesburg as a regional manager in social services, Govinden, who has 14 years of service, is on a R33 700-a-month package.

On March 15, 2005, Govinden, 38, was suspended and, a month later, slapped with 18 charges of corruption and abuse of her email. The council alleged she was using her position to benefit from contracts instead of helping the "extremely poor communities" in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

'I will prove my innocence in this ridiculous matter' But Govinden, who on Monday said the suspension was "extremely frustrating", is denying any wrongdoing and said she was one of the most productive council employees. She claimed that in just one year (2004/5) she brought in R10-million for project funding in her region and received a 96-percent performance bonus. The council has confirmed the suspension but would not explain the lengthy delay. Govinden's advocate, Reggie Reddy, however, gave the following reasons: "There have been times when people got sick"; "another time the prosecutor's mother-in-law passed away"; "there was an occasion when the employee (Govinden) took ill"; and "the recording equipment was not arranged". Reddy said the next hearing date had not been set, but would take place in the first or second week of March.

To pass the time, Govinden told The Star, she has started doing voluntary work in the field she was working in and spending quality time with her children. She lives in Meredale, southern Joburg. "It has been an extremely frustrating experience," she said. "I will prove my innocence in this ridiculous matter.

"What frustrated Govinden most was that she could not finish all the projects she had started."I've been at home and have tried to stay positive. I've been given this opportunity - I don't know why - to be with my children." Reddy, meanwhile, said they were willing to take the case to the highest forum in the country if necessary. "There is no way she can be guilty of any of these things. They (the charges) are laughable and there is not a shred of evidence. She has always said 'I want to return to work. I am sitting around doing nothing'," Reddy said.

City of Joburg director of communication Gabu Tugwana would not comment on Govinden's case. "Contracts of employment are between an employer and its employees and regulated by provisions of privacy and confidentiality. It can be confirmed that she is currently on suspension. The disciplinary process involving this person is still in progress," he said. Despite the fact that the March hearing will mark exactly two years since Govinden was suspended, Tugwana maintained that "the city took steps to ensure a speedy resolution to this matter". Of the R33 700-a-month package, Govinden receives a basic salary of about R12 700 and the remainder in allowances, such as entertainment, cellphone and computer. She clears about R22 400 a month. Govinden said she has had to forfeit her performance bonuses during the suspension. What led to the suspension was a forensic probe of the computers of several managers in Region 11, where Govinden worked. The investigation was ordered by her boss, Xolile George, and allegedly unearthed incriminating emails.

The city claimed Govinden was abusing her position for financial gain. Govinden was also accused of irregularities in awarding contracts and paying contractors, and of receiving kickbacks for promoting certain companies. Govinden has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claimed, in letters sent to the council, that its evidence is "impermissible and inadmissible".

"The employee's allocated computer was hacked into, and when obviously nothing of substance of an incriminating nature could be found, the present charges were cobbled together," she wrote.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on January 30, 2007