Axed Post Office boss vows fightback
This development sets the stage for a messy battle in the labour courts and possibly the high court between Mampeule and the person who appointed him, Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri.
This came after Matsepe Casaburri held a “shareholders’ meeting” on Monday at which she decided to “remove”
But an anomalous situation arose after he had been “removed from the board” by Matsepe Casaburri, as he had not been fired by his employer, the Post Office, at the same time. This meant that Mampeule was technically still CEO.
The anomaly lasted all of a few hours, as a letter was delivered to Mampeule at his home in Lonehill yesterday, informing him that “your contract of employment terminated automatically” as soon as he was fired as a director.
The letter, signed by new chairwoman Vuyo Mahlati, says the Post Office articles of association say that if a director is removed from the board, his or her employment contract ends.
“You are kindly requested to return all company properties that might be in your possession at your earliest convenience … by no later than Monday April 28,” the letter said.
But Mampeule took issue with the Post Office’s view yesterday, as fair labour practice meant that he should have got a disciplinary hearing before he was fired.
What normally happens at the Post Office is that if there are grounds for a disciplinary process for senior managers, such a process is chaired by an independent judge. Instead, he said, the Post Office orchestrated a “flawed process” as he was first fired by the shareholder which is now claiming there is no need for a disciplinary process to take place.
“Effectively, this counts as a summary dismissal, and my employment contract says I am subject to fair labour practices. I will meet my lawyers (today).”
Mampeule said he would now be taking this to court — probably first to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. This means Matsepe Casaburri is unlikely to have heard the last of the matter.
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