May 28, 2004, 16:00
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) is calling for the removal of Gilbert Lawrence, incumbent Western Cape director-general.
They accuse his office of being part of a conspiracy to get rid of a union shop steward found guilty of distributing political pamphlets before the general election.
"We suspect that somewhere there is a link with the previous Desai Commission...because people like Smithy (suspended shop steward William Smith) were instrumental in bringing the wrongdoings of Neil Barnard (the former DG and head of the National Intelligence Service during the apartheid era) to the attention of people," said Andrew Madella, Nehawu provincial secretary.
Madella said Nehawu was busy drafting mitigating factors, under protest, to the presiding officer of a disciplinary hearing after Smith was found guilty of misconduct in terms of public service regulations.
Smith was accused by former Democratic Alliance provincial election coordinator Robin Carlisle of distributing Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) pamphlets at the Western Cape provincial legislature buildings in early April.
The Cosatu pamphlets called on the public to vote for the ANC by explaining that the DA was not going to advance the interests of workers.
However, according to Madella, Carlisle in his testimony before the disciplinary hearing said he had not seen Smith handing over pamphlets.
Madella said Carlisle allegedly then called Lawrence, despite the fact that politicians had a clear procedure to follow when they wanted to lodge complaints of such a nature.
"Carlisle abused his political position by personally calling the DG, and compelling him to act," said Madella.
William Smith was summarily suspended the following day, April 9, on the instructions of the DG's office.
"Nehawu condemns the action of the DG...we think this is an attempt to get back at Nehawu because of Barnard and our support for the Desai Commission (which investigated allegations of bugging in the Western Cape provincial government offices and the DA's links with German conman Jurgen Harksen)," said Madella.
Madella added that the union felt Lawrence should not be allowed to continue because he had not advanced transformation, with control still in the hands of "Barnard's cronies".
Asked to comment, Lawrence said that he didn't know what the allegations were about.
In terms of the disciplinary hearing process, Lawrence said that the department didn't comment on internal matters. - Sapa
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