Axed Reddy vows to challenge dismissal

Sascoc chief executive Tubby Reddy vowed to fight back yesterday, after he was one of three senior employees dismissed by the national Olympic body.

Reddy was found guilty on 15 disciplinary charges, in an inquiry led by Anton Myburgh, including sexual harassment, nepotism and financial misappropriation.

Chief financial officer Vinesh Maharaj was found guilty on 12 charges, allegedly having committed financial irregularities, while Jean Kelly, an executive manager at Sascoc, was found guilty on two charges after allegedly colluding with Reddy against the organisation.

“Mr Reddy will be appealing this flawed process through the normal channels available to him,” Reddy’s lawyer Vasavan Samuel said in a statement yesterday.

Kelly and Maharaj were also expected to appeal, though the inquiry report claimed they had all avoided the disciplinary process.

Reddy’s legal team claimed he was ill and therefore could not appear before the disciplinary committee, but his request for a postponement was declined.

In the inquiry report, it was revealed that Reddy’s medical certificates had been found to be “inadmissible hearsay evidence”.

His lawyers also claimed due process had not been followed in the hearing; a majority decision was not taken by the Sascoc board; and Sascoc had “squandered” R3 million in legal fees throughout the disciplinary process.

While the inquiry report noted that all three employees had “clean” records, with each having given at least 10 years of service to Sascoc, it recommended their “summary dismissal”.

The trio had received their notices yesterday, according to Sascoc vice-president Barry Hendricks.

“They have the option to apply for appeal through the CCMA and this fact was stated in their letters,” Hendricks said.

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