After being kept on the books with a 9 month-long suspension from his post as the Department of Home Affairs’ Director General, Mkuseli Apleni has resigned from his post.

Confirmed by the Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba, only a few hours ago, Gigaba said at a press conference, "I would like to announce officially that the director-general of the Department of Home Affairs, Mr Mkuseli Apleni, has tendered his resignation, effective end of July 2018, to pursue other career opportunities in the private sector.”

Apleni was suspended from his post in September 2017 after being accused of being delusional and unstable and Former Home Affairs minister Hlengiwe Mkhize who went as far as to say that Apleni has “gone crazy”.

Apleni alleges Mkhize wanted him to settle a number of cases against the department, including one involving her son’s company, as well as another worth R300-million, but the she rubbished the claims.

"He has taken things to extremes because normally, there are prescripts of how you deal with conflicts. Also, [he is] a little bit delusional,” Mhkize said in response adding that Apleni is, in her opinion, “reckless and undermind internal processes”.

“Some of the cases I'm reading about, I say it is malicious to believe that he and he alone could resolve cases that affect different organs of government. I say this guy has gone crazy...”

Apleni, who was appointed to the position in 2010, successfully challenged the suspension in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

Gigaba said on Monday they would announce an acting Director General by early August.

"I have seen the department at its lowest and where it is now. I know what a diligent public servant he [Apleni] is. He has deep insight of...[the] work and branches of the department," Gigaba said to press at a conference in Hatfield, Pretoria.

Apleni said he will be joining Discovery Banking.

Source: ewn