SowetanLive reports that the Labour Court has dismissed an application that sought to overturn the suspension of outgoing higher education, science and technology director-general Gwebs Qonde.
The judgment was delivered a day after Qonde's employment contract expired on Monday. In the case that saw President Cyril Ramaphosa, higher education minister Blade Nzimande and home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi being cited as respondents, Qonde on 31 August approached the Labour Court in Johannesburg seeking an urgent interdict against his suspension. He argued in court that his suspension amounted to unfair labour practice. Qonde told the court that Nzimande suspended him purely based on personal rather than operational issues. He also indicated said Ramaphosa unsuccessfully attempted to mediate between the two parties. “The conclusion this court reaches is that there is no causal connection between the disclosures made by Qonde to Ramaphosa and the suspension that befell him on 23 July 2021. The applicant should pay the costs of this application which include the employment of two counsel where so employed,” ruled Judge GN Moshoana.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard at SowetanLive
- Read too, Court dismisses higher education DG’s move to have suspension nullified, at The Citizen
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page