Zimbini Hill denies gunning for IDT CEO role amid mounting tensions

The leadership crisis at the Independent Development Trust (IDT) deepened this week as newly reappointed board chairperson Zimbini Hill found herself at the centre of a swirling controversy over allegations that she is lobbying to become CEO.

While Hill has emphatically denied these claims, a leaked email purportedly written by her to Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has reignited suspicions about her intentions.

The email, which has gone viral on social media, appears to show Hill expressing interest in taking over as the IDT’s chief executive. It references the Government of National Unity (GNU), calls for “non-partisan service,” and outlines a strategic vision for the IDT under Hill’s leadership.

The letter is signed “Zimbini” and praises the GNU for promoting service-based leadership, stating: “The CEO role presents an opportunity to align IDT’s mission with the broader goals of the GNU.”

Hill, however, has dismissed the email as a forgery.“No, the emails are not authentic. I haven’t seen them or the content, but I have not sent any email to Minister McPherson expressing a desire to be CEO of the IDT,” she told the media.

“All I know is that there has been fabricated correspondence from someone calling themselves Nosipho Gift. I’ve been copied on some of it, and the claims made can easily be verified against my public online profiles.”

Despite her denial, insiders remain sceptical. Some suggest that Hill's surprising return to the IDT board — after being previously removed by then-Minister Sihle Zikalala — indicates a calculated effort to reclaim power and possibly replace current CEO Tebogo Malaka. “It’s clear they want Tebogo out.

She doesn’t fit the new structure,” said a source close to the matter. Hill’s previous departure from the IDT board was marked by conflict.

“I left the entity after Minister Zikalala wrote an email to all trustees threatening to fire the board,” Hill recalled. “This was despite our efforts to engage him constructively when we began investigating a questionable lease agreement.”In recent weeks, tensions between Hill and Malaka have become increasingly public.

In April, Malaka wrote directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile, raising concerns about Hill’s reappointment and alleging unresolved misconduct. Hill, in her capacity as board chair, issued a formal warning to Malaka for bypassing both the board and the minister, calling her actions a breach of protocol.

“You are hereby given a written warning in that you have breached protocol,” Hill’s letter stated.

“Should you commit the same offence or any other within six months, further disciplinary action will be taken.”Critics argue the warning may infringe on Malaka’s constitutional right to petition the president. Hill insists the letter was not personal.

“I did not condemn the CEO in my personal capacity. The letter was a board resolution. I signed it as chair, after being recused from all discussions on the matter, as advised by the company secretary,” she said. Malaka, for her part, claims she faced intimidation under Hill’s leadership, referencing two formal grievances she lodged during Hill’s previous term.

“Hill responded by saying she had lost confidence in my leadership… then resigned. Now she’s back, and that raises serious questions,” Malaka wrote in her letter to the presidency.

While Hill maintains her innocence and denies any interest in the CEO role, the controversy underscores deeper tensions within the IDT — a public entity now caught between political agendas, power struggles, and a battle for public trust.