The SIU's response to the DA Statement of alleged mismanagement of the Unit

On 23 August the DA MP Debbie Schafer released a statement which alleged that the SIU is in "complete disarray". The SIU replies to the statement and several misinformed claims in the statement about the Acting Head of the SIU Adv Nomvula Mokhatla and the Unit.

1. The re-instatement of Mrs Miseria Nyathi - there was no disciplinary hearing pending at the time of her re-instatement. She had been dismissed on the strength of the Labour Court judgement that the SIU can dismiss her on the breach of the material term in her employment contract (the material term being her refusal to submit to a polygraph test). One of the premises that lawyer's memorandum was based on is that Mrs Nyathi was found guilty of fraud. The SIU reiterates its position that Mrs Nyathi was not charged, found guilty or dismissed for fraud as alleged by the DA statements.

On the polygraph test, there were no reasonable grounds to conduct a polygraph test: The investigations into the origins of the alleged offensive letter did not point to Mrs Nyathi as the author. The authors of the letter owned-up to the letter in affidavits.

2. The charges against Mr Mike Leaser were not dismissable offences.

3. The DA statement with regard to Executive Committee meetings is misleading. The frequency of meetings is dictated to by the urgency of business from time to time.

4. The resignations of Marika Muller and Peter Bishop were amicable and not indicative of an organisation in disarray. The suspicion of the possible suspension the SIU's Corporate Lawyer Bobby Walser is unfounded. The Corporate Lawyer is still continuing with his duties as normal.

5. Contrary to the negative statements by the DA, the morale in organisation is high and most employees' employment conditions have improved. Within a few months in charge, Adv Mokhatla has successfully resolved a number of long standing internal matters some of which are already paying great dividends to the organisation in terms of improved performance.

The SIU is concerned about DA's attempts to meddle in the internal affairs of the Unit with misleading statements.

Statement issued by SIU spokesperson: Boy Ndala, August 29 2012

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