Kgomotso Sekhabisa, former CFO of the South African Heritage Resources Agency.
The Labour Court has upheld the dismissal of the former CFO of the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) after finding he paid himself nearly R390,000 in acting allowances beyond the period permitted by the agency's remuneration policy, and was grossly negligent in carrying out key financial responsibilities.
Kgomotso Sekhabisa had asked the Labour Court to overturn a 2022 Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) ruling that found his dismissal was both procedurally and substantively fair. He also sought compensation for the balance of his five-year fixed-term contract.
Sekhabisa was appointed as SAHRA's CFO in August 2017 on a five-year fixed-term contract and was later appointed to act as Executive: Corporate Services while retaining his CFO responsibilities. His LinkedIn profile still lists his position as CFO of SAHRA.
According to the judgment, SAHRA's remuneration policy allows acting allowances to be paid for a maximum of six consecutive months. However, Sekhabisa caused himself to be paid acting allowances from June 2019 until October 2020, amounting to R389,742.79, without obtaining the required approval for a deviation from the policy.
