GEORGE NEWS - George Traffic Chief Donovan Saptoe was ordered to leave office and go home. This happened last Thursday 24 October, a day before his deadline for the submission of reasons why he should not be suspended as a precautionary measure.

Saptoe received a signed letter from Municipal Manager Trevor Botha last Wednesday, stating the municipality's intention to suspend him.

He was asked to leave office the very next day. Normal procedure would grant the official an opportunity to make representations, whereafter a decision is taken whether to suspend the official or not, for the duration of an investigation.

Saptoe's alleged misconduct includes his refusal to obey lawful and reasonable instructions from the director of protection services, Steven Erasmus, and conduct which is deemed to be undermining the operations of the directorate.

Saptoe survived a suspension hearing earlier in July.

At the time it was found that there was no reasonable possibility that Saptoe's presence in office posed a risk to the ongoing investigation against him.

Municipal spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose replied on a previous enquiry in this regard that the municipality does not comment on internal disciplinary matters relating to officials.

When asked for comment Saptoe said although some confusion exists on his suspension, the Department of Human Resources is clear about the fact that he is indeed suspended. According to Saptoe there are different interpretations of the letter informing him of the municipality's intention to suspend him.

Read a previous article: Traffic chief Saptoe refuses to tiptoe

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