Ceta taken to task over planned R4 million trip

The Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta) had to apologise in Parliament after suggesting that their appearance to account over a R4 million planned trip abroad which included pocket money for board members during the tour was based on rumours.

Ceta top brass, including board members, appeared before the portfolio committee on higher education and training following allegations of corruption and governance irregularities.

Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie said: “Ceta has been making headlines on a number of allegations, and we want to be taken into confidence because Setas are accountable to the department and us. Ceta is planning a five-country trip to study best practices to improve the work of Ceta, but we want to put it on record and be clear that it will be a wasteful expenditure. If the board’s term of office is coming to an end, when will they then implement what they learnt? That trip must be cancelled, it looks like a holiday. It’s not going to happen. Today we are seeing the CEO here; we need answers and to be taken into confidence about what is really happening in that entity,” said Letsie.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mimmy Gondwe commended the committee’s stance on the overseas trip.

“I welcome the opening remarks, especially about the trip Ceta was planning to take and your decisiveness around having that trip cancelled. This was a trip expected to take 24 days at a cost of R4m, and according to reports each board member was expected to receive a subsistence allowance of nothing less than R250 000.”

Ceta chairperson Thabo Masombuka said they should not be in Parliament to talk about “things that have been publicised in the manner they have been”.

“We would have loved to engage with this seventh administration telling the complete story of the work Ceta has done. It is sad that the tone and narrative was set by newspaper journalists for whatever reasons, but we are here now. Allegations being made does not mean they are factually correct, but we know in life lies told many times tend to seem like the truth. That is why we are here to set the record straight. If things were as they are reported in the media, our institution would not be performing from 32% in 2020 to 92% in 2024.

The board also does not wake up and decide to suspend a CEO. There are labour processes. All of the allegations and what has happened are deliberate attempts to vulgarise the work of the board to a certain extent without merits,” said Masombuka.

Ceta CEO Malusi Shezi said the negative reports were part of an agenda against them.

“The trip is postponed, not cancelled, as Ceta was still planning to share strategic intent of the same with the Executive Authority. Such a comprehensive study trip was to benchmark and gather insights on global best practices in the construction education and training innovations, in order to enhance Ceta learning and skills strategy and delivery. Allegations of corruption and governance irregularities have been made; however, there is no substance to them,” he said.

National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Ceta branch secretary presenter Olebogeng Tsitsi said the relationship between Nehawu, the Ceta board and management was non-existent.

“There is intimidation, bullying of staff, harassment,” Tsitsi said.

Letsie said he found the comments from the Ceta executive distasteful and disrespectful given that the committee holds accountable those who use public funds.

“We are going to write officially to the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the director-general that the Ceta benchmarking trip must be cancelled as the term of the board is coming to an end.”

MPs also added the countries targeted by the construction Ceta for the benchmarking were not known for best practices in the construction sector.

Cape Times