Thandeka Sabela, named by Denel as one of the defence and technology conglomerate’s “leadership team”, is back at work after a disciplinary process and investigation.
In a three paragraph statement issued on Tuesday 13 May, Denel has it Sabela, former Acting Group Chief Financial Officer, resumed her duties following “a brief suspension”. She was cleared of all charges against her following an independent investigation and disciplinary process after being “placed on precautionary suspension last year”.
The “brief suspension” mentioned in the Denel statement appears to have been close to or more than a year long, Daily Maverick reported on 22 April last year.
The digital news platform at the time had it “the suspension of Thandeka Sabela, Michael Kgobe and Gawie van Zyl means Denel’s finance operations have been left rudderless at a time when the State-owned arms manufacturer is trying to rebuild it financial affairs after being the key site of State Capture corruption”.
The three, according to the Daily Maverick report, are responsible for Denel’s financial affairs and reform. They were put on precautionary suspension as regards possible misconduct, said to be linked to arms sales to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Thee suspension was effective “early April [2024]”.
This week’s Denel statement does not mention either Kgobe or Van Zyl.
Daily Maverick reported it was “informed” the precautionary suspensions were related to a case of fraud and theft opened by the DRC Embassy [presumably in South Africa] against that country’s former defence attache to South Africa, Brigadier Ngoy Timothee Makwamba. According to the National Prosecting Authority (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), Makwamba allegedly misappropriated a R43 million refund from Denel for his own personal benefit.
At that time Denel’s response was “Denel’s refund to the DRC got us concerned and we have had to look internally at whether there was anything that we could have done to avoid or prevent the funds from being redirected away from their intended destination, as it is being alleged”.
In April 2024, a preservation order was secured y the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit to attach properties Makwamba purchased with the Denel refund, which was paid after Denel could not process an order from the DRC government. After being seized, the properties were to be sold at auction so the money could be returned to the DRC.
