PUBLISHING DATES

Ziwaphi received a lengthy and fascinating media release from Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) that was celebrating the dismissal of Petunia Morgan, the parastatal’s Company Secretary, following a hearing that lasted 28 days.

While it is stated clearly in the meia release that it was in response to articles published in the Sowetan and City Press, it was nonetheless circulated to various media houses in the province, including Ziwaphi.

This article explores whether the media release is based on “facts” as MEGA claims or it is just another desperate ploy to deflect attention from issues of substance to slander and outright defamation of some (within MEGA) for some to escape attention.

As Ziwaphi, we’d like to sincerely thank MEC J.L. Mahlangu for stepping in and stopping the rout that has been taking place at MEGA. Officials in the Agency have been playing hide and seek with the media for far too long.

The Agency has personnel on payroll whose jobs entail supply of accurate information to the public they are supposed to be serving, the public to whom they owe their plum jobs and hefty salaries in this time of great unemployment and joblessness. However, these officials had decided that the public had no right to know what was happening in the organization.

The media, including yours truly, Ziwaphi, sent questions after questions in a bid to clear serious allegations which ranged from corruption to downright fraud but repeatedly MEGA chose not to respond.

Instead of answering simple questions they went on a drive to recruit image consultants who would work towards diverting the public eyes to thorny issues the media were raising.

A company was hired at exorbitant amounts to answer on behalf of MEGA 27 questions that Ziwaphi had been directed to send in writing by the CEO, Nosizwe Nokwe. To date none of the questions have been answered.

Through Samantha Beresford, the communicator in MEGA, Ziwaphi, surprisingly, received what is certainly the first salvo of image saving and pride salvaging spin doctored and calculated media releases.

MEGA, bitterly, complains that the media, Sowetan and City Press, have published articles without giving them a chance to tell their own side of the story. How cheeky! Of an organization that has without fail ignored questions that have been sent to them to give their side of the story? Ziwaphi had to resort to petitioning the MEC through an open letter to solicit a response from MEGA.

The first few paragraphs of MEGA’s press release emphasizes that MEGA has zero tolerance to fraud and corruption. It trumpets that MEGA is an organization characterized by ethos of honesty and integrity. It also promises to provide accurate “facts”, to “set the record straight”, to “ensure accurate and balanced viewpoint.” As Ziwaphi we were excited as we went through the first few paragraph but from then on the whole media release plunges into an anticlimax that is much stronger than the omnipotent force of gravity.

Ziwaphi will hasten to point out that none of the 27 questions served to MEGA over three months ago have been answered to date but MEGA selectively, chooses to address a disciplinary hearing matter of one of their employees, Petunia Morgan who had been suspended and subsequently released of her duties as Company Secretary.

MEGA claims that her charges were:

• She submitted fraudulent claims for travel expenses and for services, allegedly, rendered whilst she was on leave

• She signed a Master Rental Agreement contract without following due procurement procedures and that she had no authority to do so

• She put MEGA’s name into disrepute

They further explain that she was subjected to a 28 day disciplinary hearing to answer to the charges and she displayed inability “to provide proof of her innocence.” The Chairperson of hearing recommended that she be relieved of her duties with immediate effect.

By their own admission, MEGA has changed the principles of the legal system in the country, they haul people to hearings to give them a chance to provide proof of their innocence. What happened to “innocent until the contrary is proved?” MEGA has re-written the laws of the country to read somewhat like this: “guilty as charged, until you prove your innocence.” WHAT BALDERDASH! This proof of innocence principle is reason enough to rubbish the findings and recommendations of the Chairperson of the Hearing because it is not based on principles of the laws of South Africa maybe in other laws people are guilty until they prove their innocence. The question is: how much money was spent for the 28 day kangaroo Hearing at MEGA?

On sexual harassment

MEGA, vehemently, deny claims of sexual harassment being reported to the CEO of MEGA, Nosizwe Nokwe by Morgan, however, Mr. P. Dexter, who was the Chairperson of the Board of MEGA confirmed that Morgan reported such allegations. In an email sent to Ziwaphi, he is even prepared to submit a sworn affidavit to the effect that the sexual harassment case was reported to both him and the CEO and that the CEO was supposed to deal with the matter. MEGA goes on to allege that Morgan brought the sexual harassment for the first time mid-way her Hearing. MEGA promises to take legal action against Morgan for defamation of character of innocent Board Members and staff.

We are left with two sets of truths in this matter: truth by Nokwe (CEO) and truth by P. Dexter (former Chair of the Board).

Contemptuous and criminal behavior

MEGA, claims that Morgan has arranged for two of MEGA employees to steal confidential documents from MEGA and that they have affidavits from the two culprits to corroborate their claim. They claim Morgan has “repeatedly brought a gun to work and made it a point that MEGA staff is aware she carries a gun, apparently as a form of intimidation.” This is really bizarre and makes one wonder what zoo is the CEO running there.

MEGA, in their media release, claims they have policies and procedures to deal with sexual harassment and surely they have procedures to bring to book an employee who is intent on criminal behavior. It would be interesting to get a report of how they dealt with Morgan for brandishing, repeatedly, a lethal weapon and threatening other workers. MEGA is paying a security company for safety services and Ziwaphi would like to know if the repeated incidents of gun totting are recorded.

If MEGA has not taken action against Morgan then they must admit that they were putting their employees to extreme danger and that constitute gross negligence on the part of management. If there is no formal record of these alleged claims and a record of a Hearing and sanction then it explains why there is no record of the sexual harassment in MEGA.

Beresford goes on to make a lot other allegations against Morgan including claims that she threatened everyone during the Hearing and boasted that she was connected in high places at the SAPS and that even if she were to be fired she would still be able to feed her family.

The allegations against Morgan are fascinating, to say the least, she is accused of criminal acts that would make the Mafia pale in comparison. She has the power to make members of staff steal confidential documents even when she is on suspension. She brandishes a gun at work and threaten everyone with alarming impunity by an organization that professes an “ethos of honesty and integrity.” She has powers to overstep her authority and sign contractual agreements on behalf of MEGA, contracts which would be honoured for years by the organization. Where, the hell, was the CEO, CFO and COO when Morgan was doing all these transgressions? Why did MEGA wait all these years to act on these allegations?

Other accusations point to Morgan being very childish and boastful. She is alleged to have boasted that she can “still feed her family” even if she is fired. What a crime! She is alleged to claim she has connections in high places. That’s fantastic, lady Al Capone changes to a childish “waffle” at the drop of a hat.

Ziwaphi thanks Beresford for the media release and shedding some light on the organizational culture that prevails at MEGA. This media release is quite a revelation and in their own record MEGA is providing accurate and balanced viewpoint. What a viewpoint!

Now MEGA that you have proved that you can respond to the media how about answering the questions Ziwaphi sent to you many moons ago. You chose to respond to National newspapers because you think they carry the propensity to cause certain individuals personal harm. This can be read to mean you do not care a hoot what the people of Mpumalanga think of your performance because these are the people that read, loyally, Ziwaphi’s editions.