Mr Khotso Khasu is an employee of the Department of Traditional Affairs. Investigations into various allegations by two advocates indicate that COGTA is not legally in a position to act on these allegations.
The Department took the allegations published by the Mail & Guardian very seriously to the extent of suspending Khotso Khasu in November 2014 pending an investigation. Mr Khasu was suspended for non-disclosure of his companies. The department appointed two advocates to prosecute Khotso Khasu through disciplinary hearing process. The panel was also directed to investigate the media allegations of corruption linked to Naledi Municipality. The disciplinary hearing found him not guilty of corruption after the assessment of the documents submitted by the Naledi Municipality, and after studying the files submitted to the Mahikeng High Court by both Mr Khasu and the Municipality. It was found that there was payment dispute between Khasu Engineering Services (PTY) LTD and Naledi Local Municipality. Furthermore, it was found that the companies that were not disclosed were not operational and this was confirmed by CIPRO and SARS documents which were presented before the hearing panel.
This conclusion was based on the fact that Khotso Khasu is a Director of Khasu Engineering Services (Pty) LTD and the dispute is between the company and the Naledi Local Municipality not Khasu as a person. It was also found that Khasu Engineering (Pty) LTD and the Naledi Local Municipality are suing each other in a civil case and the matter is at the Mahikeng High Court.
There is no wrong doing that has been established by a court of law against Khotso Khasu or his company at this stage as there are counter allegations as per the papers filed in court. The other factor that the law firm advised is that legally there is a distinction between Juristic person and Natural person that must be considered in this matter. In other words, it is the company that has a dispute with the Municipality not the person (Khotso Khasu in this case). The courts must be left to rule as to who is owed in this particular case. The case number is 1201/10 at Mahikeng High Court.
He did not have any criminal record at the time of his employment and does not have any criminal record to date that the department is aware of.
The department will act when there is wrong doing pronounced by a competent body.
Enquries:
Tsakani Baloyi
Cell: 082 052 0892
