BMF SCORNS ON DOUBLE STANDARDS IN COMBATING CORRUPTION

The Black Management Forum (BMF) has noted with dismay, reports by some in the media (see Ann Crotty article here) portraying the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) audit report as "... as close to squeaky clean as is humanly possible".  The organization has made emphatic its concern about the inconsistency of media reports in condemning irregularities in the public sector, thereby showing the inherent lack of objectivity and double standards in some newsrooms.

Tembakazi Mnyaka, the Deputy President of the BMF, asked "Why is it that some opposition political parties who are usually vocal on corruption when black executives are implicated, are particularly quiet on the irregularities exposed by the Auditor General in the financial affairs of the CCMA? Is it perhaps because the Chairperson and Executive Director of CCMA are white and so they can be allowed to be as ‘close to squeaky clean as possible' and not fully comply with the PFMA and related legislation in the public service?"

The BMF has voiced its concern that Siyabonga Gama was canonised as a pariah of governance in public service by particularly the media and opposition politicians in South Africa, yet the CCMA leadership gets accolades irrespective of the Auditor General's revelations on the Commissions financial irregularities.

Mnyaka continued to say "These double standards are typical of a media that takes sides and corroborates our position that the media industry needs another level of regulation beyond self-regulation to ensure fairness and an equitable information dissemination characterised by credibility and integrity".

The BMF will watch and follow closely what steps will be taken by Government and its institutions to bring those responsible for the CCMA shenanigans to be brought to book.

Statement issued by Black Management Forum August 18 2010

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