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Public Protector probes trade-port

The office of the public protector confirmed yesterday that it was investigating allegations of graft levelled at Dube TradePort at King Shaka International Airport. The probe relates to claims varying from nepotism to “failure to follow (the) requisite procedure for town planning and environmental licensing”. The public protector’s spokeswoman, Kgalalelo Masibi, said her office was also looking into claims of conflict |of interest between suspended Dube TradePort CEO Rohan Persad, the procurement department and the winner of a R240-million tender to build a road.

There were allegations that the Public Finance Management Act had been violated and that managers had been promoted for their loyalty to Persad and other executives. Last week Persad was suspended by the Dube TradePort board pending an independent investigation into the contract with former cargo terminal operators Worldwide Flight Services SA. Allegations, published in The Mercury’s sister paper the Sunday Tribune a week before the suspension, relate to Persad being involved in a corrupt relationship with Alex McRoberts, director of Worldwide Flight Services SA, and to attempts to secure a 40 percent stake in the company.

The contract, reportedly worth R50m a year, is for ground-handling services at the cargo terminal. Persad and McRoberts were given seven days to respond to the claims. Persad has subsequently gone to ground. The board said that it had decided to place Persad on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of the review. It said that, in placing him on suspension, it was “not casting aspersions on the integrity of the CEO”.

Source: iol.co.za

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Public Protector probes trade-port

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