Dark Side
How Could it Take Two Years to Fire Him?
By Karyn Maughan, Star 16/7/08
Jul 16, 2008 - 8:45:02 AM

The South African National Defence Force has however denied that there was anything untoward about Zwane's 23 months in the job from which he was supposedly axed.

Zwane received nearly R1-million in pay in this time.

"Please be informed that the department of defence had to follow its internal processes to conclude the matter," spokesperson Colonel Petrus Motlhabane said.

The Star has established that 42-year-old Zwane - who was recently re-elected as first vice-president of the International Association of Military Justice - is "furious" about his discharge and is considering taking legal action against Lekota and his department.
Zwane's grievances include claims that at least seven high-ranking defence force members retained their positions, despite being convicted of serious offences.

"Scores of (senior) people have convictions. It's a witchhunt. What makes me mad is that they want to hit on me, an innocent man," he wrote last year in response to an SANDF request that he justify why he should not be discharged.

Lekota stated that he had fired Zwane in late August 2006.

His announcement followed media revelations that the then newly appointed director of military prosecutions had been convicted of faking his qualifications and the illegal possession of arms and ammunition.

Zwane received a suspended five-year sentence for fraud and was fined R4 000 and R1 000.

At the time of his conviction, he was working in the SANDF's legal department.

Months later, and apparently out of concern that former military prosecuting heads had not been representative enough, Lekota approved Zwane's appointment as director of military prosecutions.

The minister reportedly stated that Zwane "had potential".

After a public outcry about Zwane's criminal past, Lekota would deny that he had ever known of the prosecuting head's convictions.

The discharge is effective from July 1.

Source: Ocnus.net 2008