Thato Nthunya. | Supplied
After months of speculation and a cloud hanging over his head, Thato Nthunya, a chief director in the Free State Education Department, has quietly resigned.
According to his resignation letter, he has his sights set on conquering the private sector.
In a letter dated April 12, which ‘The Star’ has seen, Nthunya who has in the past been accused of living a lavish lifestyle and being protected from high up, said he will no longer be able to serve in his capacity as the chief director: physical resources management.
“Kindly note that I will no longer be available to serve in the post of chief director as at the end of my notice period. Please accept my resignation to the said post as I have accepted an offer of employment in the private sector in line with my personal plans and I am due to start on the 1st of June 2024,” Nthunya writes.
In 2022, The Star reported that Nthunya had caught the attention of the Hawks after his salary seemed to enable him to obtain a Mercedes V-class 300d, a BMW X5 and a Ford Wildtrak bakkie.
At the time, it was reported that Nthunya bought two houses for R2.5 million each but sold one of the houses for R800 000, meaning that the house could have been bought by someone else, for him.
The Star also previously reported that in spite of an investigation by the Hawks and many other allegations against him, the Free State Department of Education has not yet acted on the evidence.
Nthunya indicates that he will serve a full month’s notice until May 15.
“I will be serving a 30 day notice period ending 15th May 2024 as part of the requirements of my contract within the department. I will remain available during my notice period to be of any assistance and to make the transitioning process as seamless as possible.
“I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the Department for all the opportunities afforded to me during my tenure as chief director and I would like to wish the department much success in your quest to raising the bar, closing the gap and supporting learners in all grades.”
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za