An attempt by the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce’s (Nafcoc) deputy president, Vincent Phaahla, to obtain an urgent High Court interdict to prevent a Nafcoc Federal Council meeting from discussing his disciplinary case on Thursday, has failed.
The Federal Council meeting had been convened in order to discuss the report on a recent disciplinary inquiry into Phaahla’s earlier conduct, which was alleged to have brought the black business chamber into disrepute.
Phaahla, who had refused to attend the disciplinary inquiry, was invited to attend the Federal Council meeting and to make representations on the report, Nafcoc said in a statement on Friday.
Phaahla refused to attend the Federal Council meeting and, instead, brought an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court, it said. He sought an interdict prohibiting the Nafcoc Federal Council from discussing the disciplinary committee’s report and from making a decision on the matter. He also sought an order setting aside the entire disciplinary process.
At the suggestion of the Nafcoc President, Patrice Motsepe, the Federal Council decided not to deal with the Phaahla matter at Thursday’s meeting.
Motsepe said that Nafcoc would continue to bend over backwards to ensure that Phaahla be given an opportunity to answer the allegations against him.
“Consequently, it was decided that, despite Phaahla’s failure to attend Thursday’s meeting, he be afforded a further chance to state his case at the next Federal Council meeting, to be held on 29 August 2003. He has also been invited to make written submissions to the Council prior to the meeting,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the High Court will hear Phaahla’s application to have the entire disciplinary process set aside on August 19. If Phaahla succeeds with that application, the disciplinary process will start afresh. If not, a decision on his future in Nafcoc will be taken at the Federal Council meeting on August 29, the chamber said. – I-Net Bridge