Following series of financial misappropriations the Gauteng Premier David Makhura, has decided to act and fire Lumka.
Lumka was placed on special leave in May 2014 following an Ernst & Young investigation of allegations of financial impropriety.
Lumka’s financial misconduct relates to his authorisation of payments of R48.8 million to Shimo IT Solutions while government had no contract with the company and therefore no financial obligations.
Lumka was also charged with acknowledging liability in favour of Novell Ireland Software Limited and Shimo when he was not authorised to do so and that the payments, which were not due, were irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Lumka also incurred and/or caused the GDF to incur irregular expenditure of R2.1 million when he signed the Shimo Project charter. Shimo was not procured in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effect manner and through an open tender process.
Lumka caused the GDF to incur fruitless expenditure when he paid Shimo a cancellation fee of R1 million.
Lumka was found guilty on the first two charges, which amounted to over R50 million. He was acquitted on the third charge.
The chairman of the disciplinary tribunal said the only appropriate sanction was dismissal as he had abused his position of trust.
“The evidence shows that Mr Lumka was derelict in an egregious manner in his conduct pertaining to the charges for which I found him guilty. He ignored not only legal advice but went against a prior collective decision that there be no further payment to Novell,” the chairman said when pronouncing sanction.
The chairman further rejected Lumka’s representation that he had merely exercised “poor judgement”. He said Lumka was unrepentant about his conduct during the course of the hearing.
The province has also requested the State Attorney to advise regarding whether to institute criminal and/or a civil case against Lumka to recover monies misappropriated. The province is awaiting the outcome of the opinion from the State Attorney.
The IFP in Gauteng has welcomed the dismissal of Lumka.
“We wish to commend the Provincial government for its decisiveness in taking the necessary steps to ensure that no room is given to financial misconduct or corruption.
We mince no words in saying that; it will take seriousness on the side of government to curb the scourge of mismanagement that continues to mount in the Department of Health,” said IFP Gauteng Caucus Leader, Bonginkosi Dhlamini.
“Corruption in our public sector symbolises the rot in our society. It embodies a self-serving leadership style that is not synonymous with our democratic government or just society which is driven by norms and standards,” Dhlamini.
“We believe that there is more rot that still needs to be cleaned out in the public sector. And for that cleansing to happen, government needs to continue like-minded investigations without fear or favour,” concludes Dhlamini.
