Axe hangs over Vision 2016 staff
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday September 2, 2016 15:22
The council took the resolution to retrench staff members whom it felt their services will no longer be needed or cannot be absorbed by Vision 2036. The first staff member to be shown the door was Vision 2016 coordinator, Charity Kruger. Kruger has been on suspension, which the Vision Council chairperson has not explained to the board.
The minutes of Vision 2016 Council meeting which was chaired by chairperson Martin Makgatle held on August 12, 2016 say: “The current Vision comes to an end on 30th September 2016 and a new one will start immediately.
Although the secretariat staff employment contracts end on the 31st December 2016, the Vision 2016 Council will honour the terms of the contracts. Employees will be paid according to the contract to 31st December 2016.”
Makgatle told staff members in that meeting that Vision 2016 is on its wind down period as such there is a scaling of activities and staff who will not be engaged will be released and a closure plan will be shared with staff. When the staff members questioned if there is any intention to absorb the existing staff into the next Vision, the chairperson told them that he could not speak on behalf of the new Vision, as he was not part of it.
Surprisingly, other staff members got information by the same chairperson that they will be absorbed by the new Vision.
What shocked employees most was when they needed enlightenment regarding whether notice of resignation should be served in case one finds employment before the Vision contract elapses.
The chairperson informed them that there might be legal implications so one could negotiate with the employer to start on January 2017. .
Meanwhile Kruger’s case has not been resolved although Vision 2016 Council has informed her that they will no longer need her services by October 1. This is despite the Industrial Court ruling, which ordered that the coordinator’s disciplinary hearing be heard within a reasonable time.
Kruger has not been charged for any offence. At first it was alleged that she was being investigated by security agents but that did not hold water as the Vision 2016 Council chairperson failed to prove it before the Vision board.
r finance, administration and tender committee, Blackie Marole wrote to Makgatle requesting that the coordinator’s issue be resolved since it had not been pending for seven months.
“As you are aware the Vision 2016 Council staff matters falls under the Council’s finance, administration and tender committee. The committee notes that the suspension of the Vision coordinator has remained unresolved for the last seven months whilst the officer continues to be on full salary and benefits.
He further requested Makgatle to update the Vision Council comprehensively regarding the suspension of the Vision coordinator.