A manager at the Department of Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal has allegedly been splurging on groceries for herself at the expense of a retired worker who apparently has no food to eat.
The official, who could not be named because she has not been charged, had allegedly been cashing in on recently retired employee Richard Bhekuyise Nxumalo’s salary and pension since August last year.
The official had been keeping Nxumalo’s ID and bank card, apparently because Nxumalo was believed to have had a mental condition and was “reckless with his spending”.
Nxumalo, who worked as a cleaner for almost 35 years, retired in August.
His daughter Nosipho Bhengu said she has exhausted all channels to get her father’s ID and bank card.
“I am frustrated that my father would have a dull Christmas because his money could not be accessed,” she said.
According to bank records, Nxumalo’s card has been used at Woolworths, Spar, Checkers and Debonairs.
But Bhengu, who recently moved in with her father, denied her father’s groceries were bought from Woolworths.
“I only saw a 10kg bag of rice and 2kg chicken portions. We are starving. We only have a 2 litre maas (sour milk) in the fridge and parcels of beef meat from a stokvel,” she said.
Bhengu said R50000 had been deposited into her account after she persistently asked for her father’s card.
The department’s district manager, Dudu Fihlela, said she was aware Nxumalo’s savings card was kept in a safe. But she denied the bank card was being misused. She said Nxumalo had shown symptoms of memory loss in the past.
“At times he would be found loitering along Musgrave,” she said.
Fihlela said a decision to keep Nxumalo’s card was taken after he had collapsed at work. She said an attempt to trace his family was unsuccessful so it was decided to keep his card in order to buy him food during lunch and groceries for his house.
“We realized he had no money. We had no alternative but to look after him. He was always broke. He was always absent from work for days because he had no transport fares. When we followed through his bank, Nxumalo had zero balance despite being recently paid,” said Fihlela.
She said an internal investigation showed that a distant relative who resided with him at the time was spending his salary. She said when the relative was approached, he admitted purchasing a laptop, bar fridge and two cellphones on contracts using Nxumalo’s savings card and also obtaining a few loans in his name.
“Nxumalo was sinking in debt and we tried to reverse all the monthly transactions. Different stores were approached in a bid to determine the extravagant spending of his salary but it was confirmed that Nxumalo had made the purchase,” she said.
She admitted that keeping an employee’s bank card was a mistake but they had no alternative because he had no one looking after him. Fihlela said part of the money withdrawn was to pay for his water bill which had sky-rocketed.
Nxumalo said he handed over the card on his free will but he wanted it back so he could access his money.
“I want my card back. It would be wrong for them to misuse it,” he said.
Nxumalo opened a case of fraud last month.
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Source: Sunday Tribune
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