Publications
Partners
Cape Town - A parliamentary hearing into troubled signal distributor Sentech's turnaround strategy was called off on Tuesday, after the state-owned entity showed "disrespect" by submitting related documents late.
The meeting was scheduled to discuss plans to turn around the ailing company that was also the subject of a report by the department of communications. The report cited serious management issues.
The portfolio committee, chaired by Ismail Vadi, questioned the reasons for the late submission, which were delivered on the morning of the meeting.
"This is disrespect of the highest order," African National Congress MP Eric Kholwane said, after members heard an apology and explanation from Sentech board chairperson, Quraysh Patel, for MPs only receiving copies of his organisation's revised strategic plan that morning.
"We can't deal with a turn-a-round strategy at such short notice... We are not going to accept this... We want the document so we can analyse it ourselves. We are not proceeding with this matter," said Kholwane.
Patel apologised for the late submission and pleaded with the committee to allow the meeting to continue.
Committee member Patricia de Lille of the Independent Democrats said Sentech's attitude was unacceptable, and that government bodies could no longer be seen as "pushovers" by companies like Sentech. "This is a long-scheduled meeting. Why are the documents late," she asked.
Several committee members concurred that parliamentary bodies must be treated with more respect, and that the meeting could not be allowed to continue.
Vadi adjourned the meeting until further notice.
Earlier in August, Sentech's outgoing head of operations, Maxwell Nonge, was suspended. His suspension followed that of other senior Sentech staff earlier this year.
- Fin24.com
The meeting was scheduled to discuss plans to turn around the ailing company that was also the subject of a report by the department of communications. The report cited serious management issues.
The portfolio committee, chaired by Ismail Vadi, questioned the reasons for the late submission, which were delivered on the morning of the meeting.
"This is disrespect of the highest order," African National Congress MP Eric Kholwane said, after members heard an apology and explanation from Sentech board chairperson, Quraysh Patel, for MPs only receiving copies of his organisation's revised strategic plan that morning.
"We can't deal with a turn-a-round strategy at such short notice... We are not going to accept this... We want the document so we can analyse it ourselves. We are not proceeding with this matter," said Kholwane.
Patel apologised for the late submission and pleaded with the committee to allow the meeting to continue.
Committee member Patricia de Lille of the Independent Democrats said Sentech's attitude was unacceptable, and that government bodies could no longer be seen as "pushovers" by companies like Sentech. "This is a long-scheduled meeting. Why are the documents late," she asked.
Several committee members concurred that parliamentary bodies must be treated with more respect, and that the meeting could not be allowed to continue.
Vadi adjourned the meeting until further notice.
Earlier in August, Sentech's outgoing head of operations, Maxwell Nonge, was suspended. His suspension followed that of other senior Sentech staff earlier this year.
- Fin24.com
