EAAB clears CEO of allegations

MAIN IMAGE: Mamodupi Mohlala, CEO of the EAAB.

The Estate Agency Affairs Board has cleared their CEO Mamodupi Mohlala of the allegations of mismanagement made against her. Will the Minister of the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) do the same?

This is the question this week following the leaking of a report by the Board’s Social and Ethics committee. The report states the committee is satisfied with the CEO’s answers in response to all allegations made against her and there will be no further investigation. From the report it is also clear that the committee is happy to let matters continue until the internal audit and if any irregularities are found then, the matter can be addressed then.

The allegations include amongst others serious allegations of mismanagement, nepotism and interference by the CEO with strategic senior appointments. The allegations were submitted by a senior staff member on 16 September to the EAAB’s Chairman Nkosinathi Biko for the Board to investigate.

When nothing much happened, the disgruntled staff were not to be silenced but escalated the matter to the office of Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu who then tasked Biko to respond with an action plan.

Read more: Minister wants action on allegations against CEO

This led to the above-mentioned report by the Board’s Social and Ethics Committee which has since been submitted to the minister via the EAAB’s chairman. Property Professional has also learned from reliable sources that the Board was allegedly in disagreement over the report with some members refusing to sign it.

Towards the end of last week, in response to Property Professional’s query, Sisulu’s spokesperson Tuso Zibula confirmed that the Board through the Chairperson did respond and that the Minister is currently studying the report. Zibula adds: “It is worth noting that Minister is fully committed to an efficient and ethical EAAB. Any deviation from this will not be desirable.”

Allegations part of an attack on the CEO?

In response to Property Professional’s query on her reaction to the report, Mohlala, in a statement issued today, says the allegations published against her were false and had the intent to damage her, the EAAB and its stakeholders.

She continues that she co-operated fully with the committee tasked with investigating the allegations against her and says she provided all the documentation that they requested. According to her there has been “a sustained and unwarranted attack on the CEO with a heinous disregard for the truth and a total misrepresentation of facts”.

“I am very committed to serving the EAAB and its employees and will not be distracted by faceless forces pursuing an agenda known only to them,” she ends.

The Board’s report gives the impression that there will be consequences for the persons involved with bringing the allegations against the CEO. However, Mohlala, in the statement received today, says the employee who filed the allegations will not face disciplinary action emanating from her allegations against the CEO.

That being said, recent events have shown that the CEO isn’t one to take any allegations made against her lightly. Last week Mohlala, a qualified advocate with her own law firm, filed an R800 000 lawsuit against Tumisho Motsepe, one of the EAAB’s IT technicians, for calling her a bully and an autocratic leader.

Also read: ‘This is not leadership’ says Rebosa

Mohlala has over the years built up a reputation as a firebrand who isn’t scared to take on anyone, even if he is the president of the country.

Property Professional this week contacted the office of DHS Minister Sisulu for comment on whether there will be an investigation into the allegations made against the CEO of the EAAB. To date no response has been received from the latter.

You will be kept updated as the story continues to unfold.

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