/ 11 June 2007

Charlton wins first round against Parliament

The Cape Town Labour Court has rejected an attempt by Parliament to block an unfair-dismissal claim by the institution’s former chief financial officer, Harry Charlton.

Parliament’s lawyers had raised an ”exception” to Charlton’s claim, seeking a ruling on whether his challenge was legally sound.

They had argued that he was not protected by whistle-blower legislation on his Travelgate disclosures.

In a judgement handed down on Monday, the court rejected the exception application, and ordered Parliament to pay costs.

Charlton says in his claim his dismissal in January last year was an act of victimisation following his attempts to expose fraudulent travel claims by MPs. — Sapa