The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs Chief Financial Officer was fired with immediate effect on January 20.
Bishop Mapholoba Andries Letswalo’s dismissal comes after he allegedly spread lies about the department’s HOD Cain Chunda. An internal investigation conducted by cyber experts and professional investigators found that Bishop Letswalo was behind the drafting of the ‘dossier’ document. Titled “Allegations of Corrupt Activities by the HOD of Agriculture in Mpumalanga–Mr CM Chunda.”
The department’s spokesperson, Zanele Shabangu, confirmed the dismal. In a 10-page document that was circulating, it stated that “the letter which was disseminated to a host of people which included journalists. It claims that Mr Cain C.M Chunda has stolen more than R90 million through the Greening Badplaas Project.
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“We have paid only R34 million so far to the service providers appointed and paid by Letswalo himself. This was months before the appointment of Chunda to the position of HOD on 1 June 2021.”
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The document further stated, “What Letswalo does not say in his so-called dishonest ‘dossier’ is that the National Department of Agriculture funded and strictly monitored the project. Provincial Department does not fund it. The letter also claims that the Honorable Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane sends people around to collect money from service providers. An allegation that is backed by no fact. Even the people said to be sent around know nothing about it. It is startling by such a smear campaign of the worse and disparate kind.”
They also discovered that a certain politician in the ANC “Focus” slate allegedly used him to tarnish the Premier’s name. This was to maintain their access to the department’s tenders.
