Barry Streek
A SECOND LOOK
Early in 1997, I took a career decision which might be regarded as short-sighted, even foolhardy, particularly for a white man approaching the age of 50: I resigned from my job, without any retrenchment package, and joined Parliament on a two- year contract.
I did approach my editor, who in turn approached the management of Independent Newspapers, to find out whether I could take two years’ unpaid leave to work in Parliament. But that was turned down.
Despite the uncertainty of a two-year contract and the surrender of the potential benefits to my pension had I stayed on at the Cape Times, I decided to take the risk.
I had felt somewhat honoured that I had been approached to work for Parliament, despite my age, pigmentation and sex. Very few white people had been appointed to positions in Parliament after the 1994 elections as it tried to adapt and meet affirmative targets.
But Parliament had struggled to fill the position labelled manager: media liaison. It had advertised twice, but there were no suitable applicants the first time and when, after the second round of advertisements and interviews, the position was offered to a black man he wanted double the salary on offer.
Meanwhile, the position of the incumbent media liaison officer in Parliament, who was to be responsible to the manager, became vacant after her probation was not confirmed. Only one person in the media liaison sub-unit was left, a media liaison assistant, the highly competent Zamindlela Zama.
So, as Parliament’s media liaison sub- unit struggled to cope with the demands placed on it, I was approached to take up a contract position, which I did in March 1997.
We were shortly afterwards given a secretary, Melanie Jacobs, who with Charl Damonze, a service officer, and Zama made up the media liaison team. We worked hard to make Parliament as accessible to the media as possible, even showing that we could handle media arrangements for high- pressure events, such as the visits of President Bill Clinton of the United States and President Fidel Castro of Cuba.
The signs, however, were ominous. First, Melanie Jacobs’s contract was not renewed and Parliament’s management board refused to replace her. Then, I was given the responsibilities of another manager who had resigned, although my job description was not changed or renegotiated.
Despite continued representations by me for the recognition of the role they actually played, Zama and Damonze were not promoted. Zama left in March this year to join Telkom at a greatly increased salary, which, in my view, was thoroughly deserved.
In February this year, the extension of my contract for four months was approved by the Speaker, Dr Frene Ginwala, on condition my successor was appointed by the end of June and that I was free to apply for the position.
In the end, it was only advertised in May with a closing date of May 21. I duly applied for the position.
Because my position had not been filled it was assumed by my colleagues and I that I would be asked to extend my contract again until someone had been appointed to the post to ensure there was a smooth takeover, but we were wrong. Ten days before the end of the contract, we were casually informed at a unit management meeting that there was no need to extend the contract and that in any event Parliament did not like extending contracts twice.
At the end of June, I left. There was then no one in the media liaison sub-unit except the grossly underpaid service officer. The selection panel to draw up a short list for my position and Zama’s position had not even met.
I did not withdraw my application, but eventually the selection panel drew up a shortlist and interviewed various candidates. I was not on the shortlist and I was not interviewed.
I eventually heard through the grapevine that a media liaison officer from the Eastern Cape government had been appointed to replace me. He had no experience in any capacity in the national Parliament.
On September 16, I received a letter, dated August 20, signed on behalf of the secretary to Parliament, saying:
“Dear Mr Streek,
APPLICATION FOR AN ADVERTISED POST OF CHIEF MEDIA LIAISON OFFICER
Thank you for your application for the above-mentioned post. After thorough consideration I regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
Should you wish that the documents in support of your application be returned, kindly advise accordingly.
Your interest is highly appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Secretary to Parliament.”
It was, indeed, the final insult from the very institution which has laid down the norms for everyone else to be fair, non-discriminatory and non-sexist – which obviously does not apply to middle-aged white men, even if they gave up their jobs to help entrench democracy and accountability in Parliament
I have learnt informally that Zama’s replacement is expected to arrive to take up his position in a month or so. I was also informally informed that my replacement has turned down the job because the salary package is too low.
Parliament’s managers are now deciding whether to re-advertise the position.
And media liaison in Parliament? The reasonably effective sub-unit we built up is barely functional but for the unrecognised and underpaid Damonze.
The Cabinet in its acceptance of the Comtask report and the establishment of the Government Communications Information Service endorsed the call for a high priority to be placed on communications, but that, clearly, has had little impact on Parliament.
It is difficult, in the circumstances, not to become a little cynical and to wonder whether pigmentation has now become an acceptable criterion and a white skin, particularly on a male, politically incorrect.