Road Accident (RAF) acting CEO Phathutshedzo Lukhwareni has stood his ground after he took his time to apply his mind before suspending a fellow executive on a recent instruction by the board of directors.

Lukhwareni said if his conduct was considered to be insubordination, he was ready to face disciplinary charges.

“I was never going to be a rubber stamp to that decision. I decided to apply my mind until I received the file and did my own assessment with human resources. If that assertion is considered insubordination, I am prepared to face that charge,” he said.

Lukhwareni made the comment at a meeting of the Transport Portfolio Committee on Wednesday night when he was quizzed about the delay in placing acting chief investment officer Sefotle Modiba on precautionary suspension in connection with his appointment at the entity.

Modiba’s suspension was announced by deputy board chairperson Nomonde Mabuya-Moloele at a meeting with the Portfolio Committee earlier this month.

Mabuya-Moloele had told the Portfolio Committee that Modiba was placed on precautionary suspension with full pay and benefits with immediate effect in connection with his past employment at the City of Johannesburg.

The issue of Modiba was brought up in the meeting when MPs wanted to know if he had been vetted after joining RAF from the City of Johannesburg.

Lukhwareni stated that background checks had been done and a reference check was also done with his former employer.

“Vetting is a comprehensive process and we submitted our forms to the State Security Agency and they are being processed at this point in time,” he said.

But, Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa asked him to update the committee on his status at RAF after a letter was received from the City of Johannesburg indicating that Modiba resigned on the eve of the conclusion of a disciplinary process.

“I don’t understand why you want to skirt around that matter. I hope this gives a glimpse of what we are dealing with,” Hlengwa said.

“You can’t speak about vetting in your response and don’t add the latest developments unless the board did something different,” he said.

In response, Lukhwareni confirmed that Modiba has been placed on suspension on Tuesday as per the resolution of the board.

Lukhwareni was criticised by committee chairperson Donald Selamolela for being secretive with Parliament.

“We are not here to play. It is after 9pm and listening to you bluffing when you know the context and still want to hide other things. I plead with you, please answer so that we don’t have follow up questions,” said Selamolela.

Lukhwareni apologised, but Selamolela warned “you are exhausting your daily limit of apologies”.

In explaining the matter further, Lukhwareni said the instruction to suspend Modiba was sent to him a day after the board took the decision.

“As the acting CEO I have the responsibility to consider what the board communicated in arriving in that decision. I was warned about possible delays. When the announcement was made to the Portfolio Committee on Transport, the acting CIO was sitting with us in the boardroom. It can’t be correct that you must just sign the letter and when (you do not sign it), it becomes a problem,” he said.

Lukhwareni also said he had signed the suspension after he indicated to the board that he could not sign without applying his mind.

“I eventually signed the suspension of the CIO,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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