Reply:

In terms of section 181 of the Constitution the Commission for Gender Equality is an independent institution, subject only to the Constitution and the law; and is accountable to the National Assembly.

The Minister may not interfere with the functioning of the CGE.

C Cartei 1c osk the /v\iinis1ei of Women in \loe

ti esidei“1cy

Hove (1) you investigated allegotions made agaiDSt the Chairperson of the Commission fcr Gender Equality as report by the City Press in off article entitled Eagping gender boss is a hui8non ‘wrecking ball" dated :?018. I 2.11: (2) if so, what is the outcome thereof: and (3) if not why not?

0 5 FEB 20t9

Rapping gender boss is a human ‘wrecking ball’

Staff and sources say a volatile Nare has cultivated a culture of fear, intimidation and brtllying, but the commission says she is encouraging dialogue

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGEj is under siege — by its oa'n boss

So say complaints to Clty Press from more than a dozen Drdinary stall members who have had enough and claim that chairperson Lulama Nare is

il ‹jel° is a cryir‹ti St‹ai•,c

”a human wrecking ball" who has tried RQO)O DO?*?B? gUSP0nded as u1Or? to "hljacl'.“ the commission's work and '°'""" "'" " '!'"" " '

has been ' waging a wai with the chief + U*flEf I Ttavc cre ated ways ta mo 'e

executive since becoming chain in C’ I bIact‹ PanlhEi err t1a‹›ai Gu'«a

October last year

The staff also claim that Nare has created a "climate of fear” and is relentlessly meddJing in operational matters.

However, the commission strongly denies the allegations. sayinq Nare acknowledges that she is not pelect and no one is".

”She has never bullied or in1imidated a sTaW member She has a very good, healthy relationship with ccmmissioners management and Staff All sne did •'as try and establish an environment a'here people csn engage with her office openly accessibly and freely "

B‘TCHES BE HUMBLE

Nare achieved a certain level of WhatsApp fame in the gender justice sector after a CGE strategic planning meeting at the Protea Hotel Parktonian All-Suite in Braamfontein in May, where she quoted rappef Kendrick Lan1a‹ when dressing down staff.

The meeting was to be between chief executive officer (CEO) KeHetso Maema and her top managers. and included an external facilitator

6uI. sources claim, Nare a ‹t'ved near lunchtime under we pretext of coming to greet staff and proceeded to take over addressing management for almost two hours with a ’ rambling. chao\ie" speech

She used the speech. sources claim, to "publicly humiliate' senior manager? by getting middle managers to raise compiainls against them

City Press obtained a recording of part of the speech

In response to issues raised around increases and staff skills growth. Nave says nobody is happy with their pay ‘I am actually now worth R800 000 in (his ins1›tullon [bul] ) am petting R300 000 "

VVhen one manager addresses s staff issue. she shuts him down with the line. ' Get to your pcint 'cos you're maktng me fall asleep ’”

Nare also asked those present if they knew Lamar

”'So be humble Just take a step back sit ciown with them ' she said, quoting fram his hit I-fumble, saying b”tches be fumble’ bul replacing the b-a'ord with la la la' and hand gestures. witnesses said

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lr response ltte coin uvss to ners iol:; Ciiy Press 7 tie cha irpe ison does no: allen3 any s\efi «°eet'nc excepl prr invitation cf the CEC 1’es the cl\airpe•son lcve? r6p and trep n\usic Before ttie chairperson u!lereo thr v.'ord? of the song .•t\s did put a diEclaimed to set' lFiera iE scng of Kendrick 1. en›a/ that I love So«\e paid?

cf me eong are i! • !• 9 but he humble and si! dc.vn humility v. as goino to help 011 ef us Ie v.ori‹ loget°.e- That wEs the basis of I›e‹ oio? ldc fierm •'a?

mended fx'o one aiseci their oisseti?fact‹or\ CLIMATE OF FEAR

7 r›e\' claim T'Jere demands tc be greeted but refuses to greel cenain siaft < angry abcul tfi6n› ?lEggering theit lu° cf\ ftouf> tut loroids IhEm from S\fling in grouPs at I‹.n.F. repeatedly' ?iler.ces others in rdactings arid dces all ll›e talk irg. '›icti uses slaf! who speak in meetings. thre atc iJ s shall mcnlbers vzi!fi disciplinary action creatr? an eIn1osphE e •'hele her word met' not br questicnca, anti creates a cut: c›f personality arcunct herself

Staff say' they fea- her L›ecause she is ”erratic’ ano claim she has iEpeatedl;' called staff ”useless cr ?tupid and habitually comes late for meeiingc•, but »'on j aIIo\\' tl1eili to st an aithcul her.

\'7nen ycu ?peak up ›n e n1eelino \'ou know there a'ill be Irof›bJe afIer'vards said one siafl memGei

OnE sei ef correspondence speaks of a staff toe aflew ie stand up to feel "Isa\'Ge we are \•zaiIi• s fo‹ something more drastic and dehumar‹ising to happen for ttne chaiiperson to Irognsaich the CEO and manage is. naked and in broad day tight eul cf the building in hem of toutisI• in the atrium '

I.part from rejecting. in deiail, an issue cl the alleged ill treatment oi • iea lady' the commissioner responden to each ctatm. saying ’VVe have nex'er ‹ecei»eo ary complaint regarding lies matter from and' staff member 7 hers are inlernal grtex'ancc procooure? and we Encourage any ?1aff member that feels aggrieved to follow. them or repor to tf1e CEO. And in case that staff member is the CEO herself. she can lodgE flue complaint to us through the chairperson of the HR committee A.nd ccfnplainl lodgnd will be thoroughly' investigated without fea‹ or favcur '

Co.mrnissicrieis dii missed allegations that flare split the council foregrounded favourites and silenced her deptJly cl1a ii's comments as "blatant Iles"

IINTERFERENCE AND ABUSE

City' Press heatd many claims of FJare involving l'ierself in operations and ednJ‹nistrati 'v n›atle•s. in cont‹avenlio•n of lf›e con mission’s act end its Policies

?oH ces saio fvaie approaches staff oirectI\' denJanoing minutes inlorniatioii a ‹U rcport?. and ciescribes herself as ’executive cf›aifpeison

Scme claim that hare lefts ?taff tf›e\' are not uri!i:led to accepi invitalicne front

sIakel›clderE or atlenn meetings s'i!h bodies such us the Uh

Several alleged hat hare tried to lake o 'ei operations cornple1ely. uncierm ning eIn›osi e›'ery oerislon taken by !hc CEO

They ailege she often trie? to teke doc.'n’ swung v.omen in the o ganisatioi› especially' f?aEn1e. who flare accuses o! trying to embarrass me '

Tfiere are also cla!ms that f'4arE has been cook ing up’ aIJegaIio'-s against k4aen›a and dEnlanciing a fcrEnsic audit iiJlo n alaomini?tration el the CEE

Repeated atterr.Pts io reech ldaema were unsuccessful

The commissioners denlect the c)ainJ? and tJrgEd staff to lay grievances

https:/'city-)x’ass.nevvs24.com/News/rap)iing-tender-boss-is-a-huirtin-wrecking-hall-2... 2019/02/0fi

f£a:hrs deme to a head at the end of last men(h when flare received a Ielte‹

confusing thai her five-yeai term we:nd exoire cn December 31

Sne serveo on like con›r»ission ior four years before being made chair

Sources cTatrn mete had a "n etldovvn’ anO travelled ie Pretoria to a meeHng a'ilh k'‹nisler of v•'omen in the Presidency 8athabile Dlamini

After the meEtirg t'Jare told CGE colleagues she voulo remain until March

City Press has seen both a Presidential Minute and correspondence from thE department of women v‹nich confirms her tefm expires at month-end

The commissioners responded sa›'ing ‘The presidency ana Parliament are well placed to respond to that maiie '

FURTHER RESPONSES

Thandi IV'.emeIa. chair of the parliamentary portfolio comr»tttee on women said

she was unaware of the problems and needed ' mo‹e lime to look into the matter'

Department of women spokesperson Shale‹› Gajadhai said the depanmenl "trusts Iha1 the CSE has effective internal n›eclJan‹sms and structures to respond to g‹ievanccs that may arise internally

fdinister Dlamini may not 'investigate allegations of staff unf\appiness as this is tantamount to political interference a\ a Chapter 9 institution ’

Inkatha Freedom Party MP and portfoli0 COlTimitlee membe‹ Liezl van del Menve

said shc had known about 1he complain1s for months

She said her party believed the CGE had improved its performance under Maema's stewardship and it was ”of grave concern that a culture of fear, inli.n1idalion and bullying now exisis, which has the real possibility of talking the CGE bact‹ ie the days of it being ineffective and ineffectual’

- Additional reporting Rhodé Marshall

Road ›norc' ou

liltps://city-press.nexxs24.c-oiii/Nens'rappin¿n-gender-boss-is-a-liuiiiau-isu’eckinp-ball-2... 2(I I 9/02 06