NEWS IN BRIEF
The African National Congress this week sought to deny claims that controversial National Intelligence Agency (NIA) operative Thabo Kubu has been working at the party’s headquarters.
Kubu, who is facing a prosecution by a closed board of inquiry for irregular activities while in the employ of the NIA, appears to have been working in the ANC’s political education and elections unit. Kubu is being probed for, among other things, misusing state funds.
Kubu was in charge of a special unit set up to probe the misappropriation of state funds under apartheid. Other charges against him include failure to follow NIA recruitment and management policy for sources, failure to follow NIA financial control regulations, failure to keep proper records and failure to declare his own business interests.
A switchboard employee, who cannot be named, confirmed that Kubu came to work at Albert Luthuli House, 51 Plein Street, on a daily basis and that his phone extension number was 7126.
On Monday, an ANC employee who picked up the extension said Kubu was not in the office and that he will only be available later that day. But on Tuesday, the switchboard employee denied either knowing or working with Kubu. By Thursday she said she had been instructed not to talk about Kubu.
ANC national representative Smuts Ngonyama refused to confirm or deny that Kubu worked at the ANC and referred all queries to Nat Rajaha, who denied that Kubu, who is the NIA’s strategic projects general manager, was working for the ANC.
“That’s total fiction and it is false,” he said. The Democratic Party says Kubu’s link with the ruling party infringes the 1994 White Paper on Intelligence, which discourages NIA workers from participating in party politics and requires them to maintain political neutrality. The inquiry into Kubu is expected to sit after August.
The NIA refused repeatedly to comment on the issue other than to confirm in vague terms that a board of inquiry had been convened. The agency also refused to indicate Kubu’s salary, reputed to be well above R20 000 a month. – Evidence wa ka Ngobeni and Justin Arenstein
Wits blueprint gets the nod
Wits University’s council has voted overwhelmingly to reconfirm the restructuring plans it approved in February. As the Mail & Guardian reported last week, the council met to consider a critique – drawn up by seven Wits academics – both of the university’s restructuring blueprint itself and of the way Wits management has been driving the transformation process.
“We reviewed and debated views from various perspectives as part of an extremely consultative process, and approved management’s implementation of the plans,” said council chair Judge Edwin Cameron. “Wits must become a better-managed, more cost-effective and service-oriented institution able to respond flexibly to society’s needs.”
The South African Students’ Congress, the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union and certain academics intend to continue opposing the plans, particularly those that will see more than 600 support-service workers retrenched. However, unions, staff associations and management agreed on June 1, the day before the council meeting, to a “far-reaching social plan” for these workers, says Wits vice- chancellor Professor Colin Bundy -David Macfarlane
Vigilante group splits
A wide rift has developed between the leader of South Africa’s largest vigilante group, Mapogo a Matamaga, on one hand and senior members on the other, which could lead to the break-up of the notorious group.
In the past few months, senior members have been at loggerheads with their controversial president, Monhle Magolego, over the organisation’s policy of viciously sjamboking suspected criminals.
The last straw in the strained relations between Magolego and his senior members came this week after Magolego snubbed a decision by his national executive committee to suspend him from the organisation following allegations that he misused Mapogo funds. Magolego also stands accused of neglecting members and opening a secret bank account. The Mapogo leader this week dismissed the allegations this week as “a sick joke”.
“They want to get rid of me because I am a hard nut to crack,” Magolego said, adding: “I am not going to drop my tools because of these boys.”
Magolego has disregarded a crisis meeting convened by his executive, opting to call his own meeting to be held on the same day as that of the executive committee.
The Northern Province government says it will dispatch the police to monitor both Sunday meetings, as fears of conflict between the two factions are mounting. Mapogo claims 50E000 members, all of whom pay for its vigilante services. More than 20 people have died in the hands of Mapogo since 1996. Several Mapogo’s floggers – including Magolego – currently face various charges, including murder, attempted murder, abduction and assault. – Evidence wa ka Ngobeni
Unions reject state offer
Public service unions this week accused the government of attempting to break basic conditions of employment regulations to drastically reduce benefits for workers.
Congress of South African Trade Unions affiliates also say the government is vastly exaggerating the cost of implementing the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) to public service workers. During the annual wage talks this week, public service unions rejected the government’s wage offer of 5%, and demanded a 9,1% increase.
The state is also seeking exemptions from the BCEA by cutting pay for Sunday work, reducing medical aid benefits, housing subsidies and sick leave (from 120 days in three years to 36 days).
Thulas Nxesi, the general secretary the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), the biggest public sector union, said teachers were especially unhappy about the government’s proposal to link pay to performance, claiming this would not take into account the conditions under which different teachers operate. Among other things, the union is concerned about who will administer the grading of teachers and what criteria will be used. Nxesi warned of demoralisation and maybe even resignations.
“The government’s mood in the negotiations is aggressive and bulldozing,” says Nxesi.
In response the public service administration said the “process of negotiations has gone well so far but it is however still premature to raise significant comment”.
The unions are expected to present their position to the wage bargaining council on June 19 in response to the government’s offer. – Glenda Daniels