Nehawu: Acting secretary to parly solved all our problems in two months
The union said the reason Tyawa was able to conclude all the outstanding matters was because Mgidlana was out of his depth.
Baleka Mbete and Gengezi Mgidlana in Joburg Courtesy: Facebook
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union’s (Nehawu’s) parliament branch has commended “the sterling work that acting secretary to parliament Penelope Baby Tyawa is doing since her appointment about two months ago”.
Secretary to parliament Gengezi Mgidlana is currently on special leave as a multiparty parliamentary audit committee probes various allegations of maladministration, financial irregularities and insolence levelled against him by Nehawu and other parliament employees.
In a public statement, the union said: “Within this short period of time, Ms Tyawa has been able to reach settlement with Nehawu on salary increase, a matter that her predecessor dismally failed to resolve.
“In the same short space of time, Ms Tyawa managed to reach a settlement with the union on the issue of 2015/16, 2016/17 performance bonuses and the issue of No Work No Pay deductions. Again, on all these fronts, her predecessor was found to be out of depth,” said Sthe Thembe, branch chairperson.
Describing Mgidlana as a “Special Leave Beneficiary” Nehawu believes his absence from parliament enabled Tyawa to “successfully” organise an Intergenerational Dialogue Session on June 16 celebrations.
“It [the dialogue] served as a much-needed therapy and relief to the workers of parliament, who have been subjected to inhumane treatment under the leadership of Gengezi Mgidlana.”
“This platform allowed the workers of parliament to express themselves freely on how they feel without being ridiculed or being reminded about how less important they were,” the union said.
READ MORE: Right of reply: Secretary to parliament responds to Nehawu allegations
The union said for the first time since the arrival of Mgidlana, parliament employees “felt recognised and appreciated, not only as employees of this august institution, but also as ordinary human beings and citizens of this country. They were treated as equals by the management of parliament under the leadership of Tyawa.”
Nehawu also expressed satisfaction with the “positive atmosphere in parliament compared to the toxic environment that Gengezi Mgidlana left”, and said they were currently “busy undoing the huge damage that he [Mgidlana] left, including some questionable acting appointments of individuals to key positions without due process”.
“With the exception of the minority beneficiaries of Mgidlana’s bullish and cronyism tendencies, no single employee in his or her right frame of mind will miss Gengezi Mgidlana. It is our considered view that Tyawa is ready and well-deserving to be appointed as the secretary to parliament.
“As for Mgidlana’s continuous tirade, diabolic, spewing, vile and emotional attack on the union and his isolation of its individual leaders, we will not compete with him in that realm because, unlike him, we do not have the luxury of time,” the statement continued.
The union also made it clear it was not expecting Mgidlana in parliament’s corridors soon.
“Of course, we understand that he is frustrated and isolated wherever he is, and has all the time to keep himself relevant and unforgettable. He is the past, a goner and a good riddance.”
Mgidlana and Moloto Mothapo, parliamentary spokesperson, together with Tyawa, were contacted for comment on the matter, and The Citizen is awaiting their response.
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