During a press conference convened by BCL on Thursday, Divisional Manager Marketing, Gerry Ndlovu, said often the media perceived BCL as a secretive organization that is not forthcoming with information and which does not respond to media questions but always insisting on written questions even when the issue is relatively straight forward.

Ndlovu added that the mine was concerned that the media is only interested in sensational issues with no coverage of the community work that the BCL is doing. "The press virtually insists on a paid centre-spread as a pre-requisite to cover an event."

He added that often, it appeared as if no preliminary investigations were carried out prior to publishing allegations from disgruntled people. He faulted the media for its tendency to resuscitate old issues that have long been closed without adequately referencing the issues. Ndlovu also noted that often the media showed little interest in BCL's response to questioneers but questions are only sent to satisfy the requirements to hear the other side of the story. "We do not believe that in most cases there has been a genuine attempt to hear our side of the story."

He cited incidences where questions are received late in the day by which time the management believed the paper would have already gone to print and that at times they received questions relating to a particular issue at the same time as the newspaper carrying the story.

As such, the mine has resolved that all questions regarding BCL be directed to Ndlovu, as the company's spokesperson. The mine also resolved to respond to media enquiries within the agreed time frame but noted this may not always be possible depending on the complexity of the issue. It also requested the media to allow reasonable time for comments.

However, the two parties were at a stalemate after Ndlovu stated that the management would never respond to questions that are directed at personalities or on confidential matters and those that breach the right to privacy including pay packages.

Members of the press maintained that they look at issues differently from management hence what they deem newsworthy may be a personal issue to the mine. Members of the press were also disappointed with the absence of the General Manager, Montwedi Mphathi, from the press conference and maintained that in the current scenario of allegations of corruption and nepotism, it was fit for him to address the conference as he had been occupying the centre stage in the papers lately.

When asked on the DCEC investigations, Ndlovu said the directorate visited the mine to investigate various allegations against management, which they suspect are emanating from bitter and disgruntled ex-employees whose employment was terminated for serious misconduct. "The DCEC was allowed access to search for the documents that supposedly support the allegations and it was done in the interest of transparency despite the fact that they have no authority to investigate BCL."

Ndlovu maintained that the mine still stands by what they said at the staff briefing on the DCEC's jurisdiction. "What was said in the internal staff briefing is that DCEC itself stated that it was constrained by the Corruption and Economic Crime Act1994 as to what it can and cannot investigate."

He further noted, "The DCEC stated, on referring to certain allegations against the General Manager to the Permanent Secretary for further action, 'the matter falls outside those terms of reference." He added that the allegations made in 2004 were about the creation of a post for his wife and the allegations were investigated by the Chief Internal Auditor who reports to the Board Audit Committee.