Suspended Eastern Cape Department of Education communications director Vuyiseka Mboxela.
(Photo: Vuyiseka Mboxela / Facebook) 
The Eastern Cape Department of Education vowed on Tuesday to deal with its director of communications, Vuyiseka Mboxela, after she returned to work despite being on precautionary suspension following complaints about how she treated her staff.
“The department wishes to categorically state that Ms Mboxela is still on suspension pending the investigation and conclusion of her case by the department,” reads a statement issued by the department’s acting director of communications, Nyameka Mgijima, and its media liaison officer, Mali Mtima.
Mboxela made an unexpected return to work on Monday, 4 November, even though her suspension had been extended to 26 November.
She announced her return to work on social media on Sunday using an official department letterhead. She said she had only received a “one-liner” from a law firm informing her of the extension of her suspension to 26 November.
“I know for a fact that such an instruction is against the law, and I do not want to be listed amongst senior managers that are seated at home while getting paid huge salaries by the government.”
She said she was acting in accordance with the Public Service Act and the Public Service handbook. She said her suspension was “unofficially” communicated to her after a meeting between department officials and the trade union Nehawu, and was made before hearing her response to the complaints. Furthermore, she said, two months after her suspension she had still not been presented with a list of the grievances against her.
Her statement on social media was followed by a picture of her at her office.
The education department confirmed that her suspension had not been lifted.
“Indeed, Ms Mboxela was seen around the premises of the employer, contravening the conditions of her suspension. The department will exercise its powers to decisively deal with the insolent behaviour demonstrated by Ms Mboxela,” it said.
“Disciplinary processes were instituted against Ms Mboxela as a result of complaints received by the executive authority relating to the treatment of officials reporting to the communications director. An investigation was instituted as part of the ongoing disciplinary process. Ms Mboxela’s defiance [of] the decision taken is in direct violation of the conditions of her suspension.
“As a department, we view the defiance of Ms Mboxela as a serious contravention of the legislation guiding disciplinary processes.
“Ms Mboxela has repeatedly defamed the head of department on various media platforms and brought the department into disrepute by providing the public with inaccurate information on an internal departmental process.
“The department condemns this lawlessness and will be obliged to act accordingly in order to protect the integrity and reputation of the executive authority and the department.”
The department said Mboxela’s suspension had been extended by the presiding officer at her disciplinary hearing on 24 October.
Mboxela was also suspended in 2023 after a heated argument with a co-worker was captured on video and circulated on social media. She claimed that she had over-reacted to being bullied in the workplace, and agreed to follow an employee wellness programme. DM