Cape Town - Dissent among members of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, sparked by conflicting views over the filling of the post of the chief executive officer has finally been put to bed.
The saga, which is still the subject of a court battle, follows the board’s decision not to renew the contract of the former chief executive, Maroba Matsapola, instead opting to advertise the post.
Briefing the provincial parliament’s standing committee on finance last week, the chairperson of the provincial Gambling and Racing Board, Althea Lapoorta, said with the appointment of Primo Abrahams as the chief executive, the mood had changed.
“As with all boards, members are allowed to have dissenting views when deliberating on any matter, but once the final resolution is passed, regardless of what your view was on the issue, that is the resolution the majority took and that needs to be defended,” Lapoorta said.
Finance MEC Ivan Meyer said he was satisfied with the progress made in terms of labour relations and staffing matters, but cautioned against stifling internal debates.
“I remain hopeful that perceptions of previous dissent will soon evaporate. I do think that we must not stifle internal debate. We must allow people on a board to have different opinions. There was some difference of opinion, but I don’t think it is dissent, I think it strengthens democracy,” he told the committee.
Offering her analysis of the situation, Lapoorta said she and her deputy differed in opinion on whether the post of the chief executive should be advertised, or if his contract should be extended.
She said the basis of the division stemmed from two board members who wanted the chief executive’s contract to be extended and five who wanted the post to be advertised. “We advertised and interviewed and a new chief executive, the former chief financial officer, Primo Abrahams has now been in the post for the past six months,” Lapoorta said.
She added that four board members have also been appointed.
But ANC MPL Richard Dyantyi was not convinced. He maintained the divisions had not just emanated from the issue of the chief executive and were there before.
He listed other serious issues, including claims that board members close to the chairperson were given preference, a claim Lapoorta brushed off, saying she was all for giving people an opportunity to air their views and not imposing her views on others.
Dyantyi also wanted Meyer to unpack the board’s ongoing court battle with the former chief executive.
Meyer said the matter was still pending and a court date for the matter to be heard on appeal was still awaited.
He said initially the matter was about the performance bonus of the chief executive, but later it became about his reinstatement.
“The former chief executive linked the application of his performance bonuses to his reinstatement issue and extension of his contract,” Meyer said.
Advocate Estienne Pretorius, the head of finance ministry, told the committee they were guided by internal legal advice.
Pretorius said there were two issues at the heart of the matter: the chief executive’s performance bonus and the extension of the contract.
Pretorius said this argument won favour with the CCMA, prompting the board to obtain external expert legal advice, and the matter is on appeal.
Meyer said he hoped the new board would bring a dynamism and experience to the board.
Cape Argus