Sadtu boss must answer charges

SUSPENDED teachers’ union boss Thobile Ntola is to appear before the union’s national disciplinary committee on Monday to state his case.

The South African Democratic Teachers Union’s (Sadtu) president was suspended in August last year for bringing the union into disrepute after he addressed the media, saying the union had forgiven suspended Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

Vavi was suspended last year for having a sexual relationship with a junior employee at Cosatu House.

He apologised for his adulterous relationship, and although still suspended, was invited by Sadtu’s western region in Port Elizabeth to address its regional congress.

In a post-congress media briefing, Ntola said Sadtu was satisfied with the apology. His public statements on the day now form part of nine charges the union delivered to his house on Thursday. In the seven-page charge sheet, signed by Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke, he is accused of:

• Having private dealings with two service providers, one of which bought a Gonubie property that Ntola uses as his home.

The charge sheet also alleges that Ntola asked the other company to provide him with cars. “The cars provided to you ... had not been requested by Sadtu ... you misused your position as president of Sadtu for personal gain. And you did not disclose the above benefits”;

• Receiving payments from a company;

Having a third company pay for his hotel accommodation and flights for him and family members. The company has a tender to supply textbooks;

 Issuing a media statement that refers to Sadtu’s national executive committee (NEC) members as “enemies of Vavi”, thereby bringing Sadtu into disrepute;

Failing to conduct himself “in a manner expected of ... the president of Sadtu”; and

Appearing in a TV advert alongside bosses of a publishing company although Sadtu had not authorised the endorsement.

“You were aware ... that Sadtu was in dispute with and your endorsement was not in the interest of Sadtu,” reads the charge.

Maluleke confirmed to the Daily Dispatch yesterday that Ntola had been served with the charges, and that the hearing was on Monday.

“It’s an internal hearing conducted by Sadtu’s disciplinary committee,” said Maluleke.

Speaking to the Dispatch yesterday, Ntola said: “There is nothing wrong with staying in a friend’s house. This is my all-time friend, and is not involved in any business with Sadtu. I pay for rates and services at that house, it’s an arrangement between me and the owner.”

He said Sadtu had no policy for office bearers to declare. “I want them to show the register, because some of them will get tickets for the jazz festival in Cape Town this weekend. And they won’t have to declare. Why me?”

The hearing comes on the eve of a month-end deadline issued by a faction within the union demanding the NEC re-instate Ntola or watch his supporters withdraw their subscriptions from April.

It was unclear how many Sadtu members supported this campaign at the time of going to print.

Ntola said he was consulting his lawyers on how to handle the case. — zineg@disptch.co.za