Amatola shows its top official the door
Samwu slams axing of human resources boss
THE embattled Eastern Cape water utility Amatola Water has fired its head of human resources, Nolitha Klu.
Her dismissal comes just a month after the entity’s CEO Lefadi Makibinyane was given the boot two days before his case was to be heard at the CCMA.
Klu was suspended early in the year, together with Makibinyane and the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) shop steward Victor Totolo.
She was accused of gross negligence and breach of good faith among other charges by the Amatola Water Board (AWB).
One of the main charges against her was the re-employment of a dismissed employee, the appointment of Totolo as a full-time shopsteward and a motivation that she signed for the increase of Maki salary last year.
A letter seen by the Dispatch, signed by the acting CEO Asanda Gidana, says Klu was guilty on all 14 charges she was facing.
“You are accordingly informed that your services have been terminated with effect from October 17 2017,” read the letter from Gidana.
Attached to her dismissal letter was a confidential disciplinary report which was sent to Klu and Samwu Amathole regional leader, Luthando Juju.
The document was prepared by BD Beetge Magnus of Russell Incorporated and also addressed to Wesley Pretorius and Associates, who was representing the board.
In the report, Klu was found guilty of four charges of gross dishonesty, four charges of breach of good faith, four charges of wilful failure to act in the interests of Amatola Water Board, one account of gross negligence and one count of wilfully breaching the AWB recruitment and selection policy.
The report said an incumbent in Klu’s position required strict adherence to all policies to not only show compliance but to lead by example.
“The AWB has zero tolerance of dishonesty, especially during the turnaround situation the AWB is currently involved and where human resources is pivotal to the turnaround plan,” it read.
The report also based Klu’s pending sacking on Maki dismissal as they faced “similar and intertwined charges”.
Makibinyane faced 18 charges before his dismissal last month.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Klu refused to speak to Dispatch as she has not seen the dismissal letter from the board.
Amatola spokeswoman Connie Buso-Niwa confirmed the disciplinary action against Klu and Totolo.
She said a disciplinary sitting took place earlier this week which recommended that Klu be dismissed, “a sanction that has been endorsed by the employer”.
Further details remained “a private matter between the employee and Amatola Water”, she said.
Samwu said Amatola Water’s disciplinary policies were not meant for punitive measures but to correct. “The board constantly purge workers who are seen to be close to the axed CEO and those who are vocal,” said Juju.