Johannesburg - The Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) said on Friday it was concerned by statements made by its dismissed CEO Nomonde Mapetla that disciplinary action was taken against her by the EAAB on the instructions of Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.
She was quoted in a newspaper report as having said this.
Mapetla was suspended, pending an investigation, from the EAAB on February 17 as a result of suspected mismanagement.
She was later dismissed due to an irreconcilable breakdown of trust between the parties.
Mapetla applied to the South Gauteng High Court on an urgent basis seeking relief against the EAAB, its members and the minister of trade and industry. This included her reinstatement as CEO of the EAAB.
Judge Lotter Wepener dismissed Mapetla's urgent application with costs.
Since then Mapetla has lodged a complaint at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration against the EAAB.
A non-urgent application to the high court is pending.
EAAB chairperson Thami Bolani said on Friday: "We feel constrained to discuss the matter in the media, given that it is clearly sub-judice. This is a labour law matter and it will be dealt with in the appropriate forum in due course."
"Ms Mapetla's conduct and most recent accusations are accordingly entirely inappropriate," he said.
Mapetla previously contended in her high court papers that she had been suspended and then dismissed by the EAAB because she was taking action against "big fish" estate agencies, including Wendy Machanik.
She alleged that she was being victimised by the EAAB because of this so-called industry clean up.
Bolani said Mapetla's new accusation, that she was fired on the instructions of the minister, "is yet another unsubstantiated allegation and desperate attempt to deflect attention away from the real reason for her suspension and dismissal.
"The individual board members and the EAAB are taking advice from our attorney regarding these defamatory statements and will take appropriate action against Mapetla in due course, if necessary," he said.
Mapetla also recently wrote to the ANC, seeking its assistance, claiming to be a long-standing member and seeking the party's intervention to stop the ongoing investigation by the EAAB into her conduct as CEO.
"This is just another brazen attempt by Ms Mapetla to fight her battles in the media and with a total disregard for due legal process," said Bolani.
She was quoted in a newspaper report as having said this.
Mapetla was suspended, pending an investigation, from the EAAB on February 17 as a result of suspected mismanagement.
She was later dismissed due to an irreconcilable breakdown of trust between the parties.
Mapetla applied to the South Gauteng High Court on an urgent basis seeking relief against the EAAB, its members and the minister of trade and industry. This included her reinstatement as CEO of the EAAB.
Judge Lotter Wepener dismissed Mapetla's urgent application with costs.
Since then Mapetla has lodged a complaint at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration against the EAAB.
A non-urgent application to the high court is pending.
EAAB chairperson Thami Bolani said on Friday: "We feel constrained to discuss the matter in the media, given that it is clearly sub-judice. This is a labour law matter and it will be dealt with in the appropriate forum in due course."
"Ms Mapetla's conduct and most recent accusations are accordingly entirely inappropriate," he said.
Mapetla previously contended in her high court papers that she had been suspended and then dismissed by the EAAB because she was taking action against "big fish" estate agencies, including Wendy Machanik.
She alleged that she was being victimised by the EAAB because of this so-called industry clean up.
Bolani said Mapetla's new accusation, that she was fired on the instructions of the minister, "is yet another unsubstantiated allegation and desperate attempt to deflect attention away from the real reason for her suspension and dismissal.
"The individual board members and the EAAB are taking advice from our attorney regarding these defamatory statements and will take appropriate action against Mapetla in due course, if necessary," he said.
Mapetla also recently wrote to the ANC, seeking its assistance, claiming to be a long-standing member and seeking the party's intervention to stop the ongoing investigation by the EAAB into her conduct as CEO.
"This is just another brazen attempt by Ms Mapetla to fight her battles in the media and with a total disregard for due legal process," said Bolani.