Where must Mrs Vavi work.As a trade unionist myself I believe that each and every South African be productive,and Mrs Vavi is one of us. South African need to wake up to this biased media reports.
> COSATU’s response to > Mail& Guardian > story > > > COSATU has noted the report in the Mail & Guardian, 1 > April 2010, “Mrs Vavi, the pension funds and the bribe”. The > General Secretary has responded, with the following answers to questions > put to > him by the M&G reporter, Matuma Letsoalo: > Are you aware of > the fact that your wife Noluthando is contracted > to SA Quantum and receives R60 000 a month for doing marketing for the > company > [SA Quantum] within the labour Union movement, Cosatu and its > affiliates? > > Yes I am aware that my wife is doing consultancy work for SA Quantum. > The > agreement signed between SA Quantum and her states that she “undertakes > to: > 1. Furnish professional consulting services in respect of marketing, > distribution and > servicing strategies into the employee benefits market; > 2. Keep quantum informed on developments, trends, political dynamics and > key role players in > order to improve Quantum’s understanding of the market; and > 3. Improve Quantum’s effectiveness in distribution employees’ benefits > solutions into > the market.” > In this direct quote from the > contract, nowhere is it stated that > she will do “marketing of the company in the labour union movement, > COSATU and its affiliates” as your question seeks to imply. In my view > there is no conflict of interest at all. COSATU has no relationship > with > SA Quantum and if it did that would constitute a conflict of interest > indeed. > The provident funds of workers are controlled by workers and employers > who have > a 50-50 representation in the board in terms of the law. My wife has no > relationship with any of the provident fund boards. I have no direct > relationship with and provident fund board that has a relationship in SA > Quantum. As far as I know no union is able to dictate to the boards of > the > provident funds in which company their monies should be administered. > These > decisions are left to the boards controlled by workers and employers. > > Given that you are the general secretary of COSATU, don’t you think > the business that your wife is doing with a company that does business > with > COSATU and its affiliates constitute a conflict of interest? > > As stated above, SA Quantum has no business relationship with COSATU and I > am > not even aware which COSATU unions have their provident funds/pension > funds > administered by SA Quantum. I assume that there should be some who have a > relationship. In that case there is no way she can influence the > decisions of > the provident fund boards in terms of where they invest their money or > who > should administer their provident funds. > > After COSATU first called for a lifestyle audit for public > representatives, > you publicly declared some of your assets, including the Morningside > house, but > did not mention anything about Zwelothando. Do you have any reason why > you did > not mention this? > Zwelothando is a company owned 100% by my wife and not me. Secondly I > answered all questions to me by the Star journalist honestly and > truthfully. I > did not hide any interest. I have no personal business interest. I am > not > registered in any company as a director. You can verify this with CIPRO. > Noluthando has a consultancy company called Zwelothando. She had that > interest by the time we were married. I married her not because of her > consultancy interests or business interests. I am not going to instruct > her to > withdraw from consultancy or even business because she is married to me. I > don’t seek to control anyone in that manner. The only interest I have is > that there should be no conflict of interest with COSATU and or with > government. This is so precisely because if she was to win any contract > with > COSATU and or government this will raise a question as to whether she > won it > because she has my surname or is related to me instead of winning it > above > board. I have an agreement with her that she should never do any > business with > either COSATU or government. I am satisfied that SA Quantum indeed has > no > relationship with COSATU and therefore the conflict of the interest > issues does > not arise. > > Don’t you think it would have been appropriate for you to declare > this > publicly as well? Did you declare your wife’s business interests in SA > Quantum to Cosatu and its affiliates, who are doing business with the > company? > > I have answered this question already. I did not declare because COSATU > does > not have any business relationship with SA Quantum. I am not aware of > any > relationship between SA Quantum with COSATU affiliated unions. Even if > there is > as I assume there would be, the driving question to me is whether any > observer > would reasonably believe that I have in any way influenced worker > provident > funds to enter into a business relationship with SA Quantum. The answer > is > clear that such a possibility does not exist, as all provident funds > board have > a 50-50 representation between workers and the employers. > > It is clear from the tribute you delivered at the funeral of former > SA > Quantum CEO Abraham Nduru in 8 December 2009, that you personally had > close > ties with directors of SA Quantum, which did business with your wife. > How do > you explain this? > > I have known, and in fact have worked with, Abe Nduru for many years as > indicated in my tribute at his funeral. I don’t know any other director > of SA Quantum as your question suggest. Please read the speech again and > see if > it suggests that I know the other directors as well. > > Do you find it comfortable with your wife involved in business, while you > on > the other hand are pushing the communists’ agenda? What was your > relationship with Nduru like? SA Quantum CEO Veon Back offered us R120 > 000 not > to write the story about SA Quantum’s business dealings with Zwelothando > Consulting, a name which appear to be a contraction of her first name > and your > first name. Already Bock gave us a payment of R40 000 and promised to > give us > the balance by the end of April. This is to us a clear cover up for you > and your > wife. What is your reaction to this? > > I have stated in other interviews such as Destiny magazine, > November/December > 2009, that sometimes that makes me feel uncomfortable. This is so > because some > people would not buy a suggestion that I have nothing to do with my wife > business activities and yet I seriously never ever attempted to > micromanage > her. I did not her ask to enter business. This is her own initiative. I > am not > going to divorce her though because she has business interest. I had > enough of > that. Our relationship is not founded on whether she has a business > interests > or that I am the leader of COSATU. As I said the only protection I have > is that > she should never conflict me through getting into business deals with > COSATU or > even with the government. So far she has not done that. Regarding Abe > Nduru as I have said above I have known him since the days he was > working for > NBC. See my speech which traces the relationship between COSATU and Abe > Nduru. > > Regarding the alleged attempt to silence Mail and Guardian, I > must state > categorically that it has absolutely nothing to do with me and the > person best > suited to answer your question will be the one who offered you money. > Veon Back > has no reason to protect either me or Zwelothando in this regard – there > is no conflict of interests there is no scandal. Lastly Zwelothando is > not a > contraction of my name Zwelinzima and that of my wife Noluthando. It is a > name > on its own with a completely different meaning. Zwelinzima means this > world is > difficult/heavy/tough and Noluthando means love. Zwelothando means a > country of > love. > > ___________________________________________________________________ > > Conveniently the Mail & > Guardian chose not to run this > full response to their questions, despite the General Secretary asking > them to > do so, through a text message to Mr Matuma Letsoalo. > The article is a typical example of > journalists being used to > fight factional battles. Mr Matuma Letsoalo has a long documented > history as a > journalist of being used by factions in COSATU to tarnish the name of > its > leaders, in particular its General Secretary. > We wish to point the following > inaccuracies, sensationalism, > innuendos and outright lies in the article: > 1. The headline of the story is: “Mrs Vavi, the pension funds > and the bribe”. Whilst this headline seems to be an honest summary and > caption of the story, anyone reading the headline and street posters, > without > reading the article, will go home wrongly thinking that Mrs Vavi is > involved in > some scandal that has to do with pension funds and she may have also be > involved in bribery. This is sensationalism at its worst. > 2. Despite the correction printed above, the article, throughout > and > in particular in the first paragraph, makes a damaging claim that > Noluthando > Vavi “is being paid R60 000 a month to market financial products to > union > members”. Mr Matuma prints this despite being in possession of the > contract signed by Mrs Noluthando Vavi and SA Quantum that categorically > states > the terms of the agreement between the parties. There is no single line > in that > agreement that says Mrs Vavi will be “marketing financial products to > union members”. This is being done deliberately to suggest improper > conduct on the part of Mrs Vavi and by association the COSATU General > Secretary, who is the real target of what is clearly a smear campaign. > 3. The article claims that Veon Bock, CEO of SA Quantum, told the Mail > & Guardian that “she was engaged specifically to market its > products which include pension and other employee benefits to labour > unions, > particularly COSATU unions”. The article further make the claim that > “she has already helped secure direct and indirect business with two of > COSATU’s biggest unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the > National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), which together > account > for about 500 000 of COSATU’s membership”. > 4. Whilst we cannot vouch for what was said in the discussion > between > Mr Veon Bock and Mr Matuma Letsoalo, we are in possession of Mr > Motsoalo’s written questions to Mr Veon Bock and his written responses. > At no stage does Mr Bock make the above assertions that “she has already > helped secure direct and indirect businesses with the two of COSATU’s > biggest unions…” > 5. The article then mischievously, inappropriately, and with a > clear > view to mislead unsuspecting readers, makes a link between the speech > the > General Secretary made at the funeral of Abie Nduru and the decisions of > the > Metal Industry Benefit Fund. The speech, which is available on the > COSATU > website, traces the relationship, between the General Secretary and Abe > Nduru, > not as a personal relationship, but one that existed between Mr Nduru > and > COSATU. This relationship predates the existence of SA Quantum. Yet the > article > seeks to suggest that Mr Nduru or SA Quantum or even with Mrs Vavi > benefited > from a relationship. There is no shred of evidence to suggest that > COSATU, the > General Secretary or his wife ever tried to influence the Metal Industry > Benefit Fund to have a business relationship with SA Quantum as emplied > in the > article. > 6. The article then goes further to say that “Bock told the Mail > & Guardian that Noluthando had been instrumental in securing a > contract > with TEBA Bank, owned by members of the NUM, Zwelinzima Vavi’s former > union”. Again in the written reply to Mr Letsoalo’s questions Mr > Bock did not make this claim simply because it is not true that Mrs Vavi > was > instrument in securing any contract between SA Quantum and TEBA Bank. > This lie > is being told in order to suggest that there is a conflict of interest > that is > not there. > 7. The article, consistent with its political purpose, then claims > that “nevertheless the close political and personal proximity of the key > players has raised concerns that the Vavis are profiting from the > suggestion > – however implicit – that any deal proposed by Noluthando is backed > by her husband and COSATU”. It is true that COSATU General Secretary > enjoys a close relationship with the General Secretaries of NUM and > NUMSA, but > equally he enjoys the same relationship with the leaders of all COSATU > unions. > It is not true that he lobbied for the election of General Secretaries > of the > two unions. Even if that was true that there is no relationship between > that > and the innuendos in the article. > 8. In introducing the story “On how the deal (bribery) went > down”, Mr Letsoalo states that “COSATU General Secretary insists > his wife’s role in the marketing financial products is no scandal. But > the company that pays her to do it clearly disagrees”. The article does > not back this assertion. Mr Letsoalo merely concludes that by paying a > bribe, > the company was admitting guilt to some wrong doing. This is wrong and > actually > it amounts to character assassination. > COSATU also condemns strongly the > attempt by Mr Veon Bock to bribe > journalists doing their work. This is clearly unethical and it amounts > to an > attack on media freedoms. The General Secretary also condemned this in > his > response above, a condemnation which strategically Mr Letsoalo decided > not to > print. > The only sin committed by COSATU is to take a strong stance > against corruption. This article together with other attempts before to > turnish > the name of the COSATU leadership will not deter us from campaigning to > rid > South Africa of corruption. The General Secretary of COSATU has come > under > immense personalised attack from those who have something to hide from > life > style audits. Recently he was said to own a R6 million house – when this > was proven to be a lie, it was said that he abused a COSATU credit card – > no evidence was produced and when these forces were challenged, then > they > spread a rumour that his wife is deep and has won governmetn tenders > everywhere > – they have not produced shred of evidence to back this, then it was > said he has a two months old baby out of wedlocks – till to day they > have > not produced the baby and the mother. Quite clearly there is an attempt > to > discredit him as the principal spokesperson of COSATU. They will not > succeed to > silence us! > > Veon Bock’s responses to Mail & > Guardian > > Matuma, > > Below are my responses to your questions. As indicated to you before, > our > clients are Retirement Funds and not Trade Unions. Retirement Funds are > run by > independent Boards of Trustees made up on a 50/50 basis by members and > employer > representatives. > > I therefore want you to read my response against this background. > > Regards, > > Veon > > > Dear > Mr BockIt is > with regret to inform you that we are intending to publish the story on > Friday > on both your attempt to bribe me and the original story about your > company- SA > Quantum- payment to Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi’s wife- > Norah Noluthando Vavi. The intention from the start in my accepting > payment > from you was in order to expose your attempted bribe. Now, I would like > you to > answer the following questions for me; > * If there is nothing wrong with SA Quantum doing business with > Zwelinzima Vavi’s wife- Norah Noluthando Vavi, why would you go to the > extent of offering me R120 000 [and in fact paying me R40 000 in cash as > the first instalment on Saturday March 27 2010] in what clearly appears to > be a cover up for the Vavis? > I deny paying you the sum of R40,000 in cash or offering you > R120,000. The agreement with Mrs. Vavi, which was entered into by the > Late Mr Abe Nduru is above board and at no stage did Mrs. Vavi consult > or > market the services of SA Quantum to COSATU affiliated Retirement Funds > nor is > a condition of the agreement that Mrs. Vavi consult or market the > services of > SA Quantum to COSATU affiliated Retirement Funds. > * Why should I not consider the agreement to pay me R120 and the actual > R40 payment as an attempt to bribe me and as criminal act? > I deny that an agreement of this nature exists. > * Why out of all people did SA Quantum chose Vavi’s wife to do marketing > for the company within the labour federation? > Mrs. Vavi is an independent business woman and has a right to > earn > a living, as do any other individual. Why did the Mail & Guardian > employ > you? > * How much has SA Quantum paid Zwelothando since it entered in a > contract > with Vavi’s wife? > I quote clause 4 of the agreement: “4.1. In consideration > for the rendering of the services contemplated in clause 3, Quantum > shall pay > Zwelothando a consulting fee amounting to 5% (five percent) of first > year > income on business generated for Quatum by Zwelothando. No consulting > fees > shall be paid unless all the retainers are paid in full.” Furthermore > clause 5 of the agreement states that: “Zwelothando is not, and will > never be deemed to be an employee of Quantum.” > * Why would it be wrong for me to assume that the payment by SA Quantum > to Zwelothando, constitute a kick back or an attempt to influence > Cosatu or its affiliates through Cosatu or Vavi- to channel business > opportunities to SA Quantum? > As explained to you before, Mr Vavi does not excercise control > over Boards of Trustees of Retirement Funds, which are our clients and > independent legal structures outside of COSATU. The Boards of Trustees > are made > up on a 50/50 basis of members’ representatives/employer > representatives. > * During our first meeting, you stated that SA Quantum was doing > business > with Numsa, NUM and Theba Bank, which is owned by the mine worker’s > union [NUM]. Which other Cosatu unions are you [SA Quantum] doing > business with within Cosatu? > As indicated to you before, we do not > deal with COSATU or any of > its affiliates. We deal only with Retirement Funds, which are > independent of > COSATU and they make use of various service providers. I would appreciate > it if you could respond to my questions before 10am on Wednesday, for > deadline > reasonsBest > RegardsMatuma > Letsoalo > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > Hasta Siempre la comandante > > Sithembewena Tsembeyi > > Socialismo o Muerte... > > > ________________________________ > > > > > -- > You are subscribed. 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