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Manyi’s ‘push for BEE deals’ angers Norwegian envoy
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Loyiso Langeni
Business Day
Friday, May 28, 2010
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Jimmy Manyi’s two jobs have come back to haunt him again as he finds himself at the centre of a diplomatic complaint that highlights the potential conflict of interest between the two roles he occupies.
The Department of Labour’s director-general is at the centre of a diplomatic complaint from Norway’s ambassador to SA, Tor Christian-Hilda, reportedly for promoting private business interests.
The ambassador sent a letter of complaint to International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane after a meeting with Manyi in March.
At that meeting, Manyi reportedly tried to broker deals for private businesses instead of focusing on the government’s “decent jobs” programme, for which the meeting was called.
Manyi has been criticised for potential conflicts of interest as he has remained president of the Black Management Forum while working as a senior public servant.
Manyi denied yesterday that he used the meeting to promote personal business dealings with the Norwegians. He said he offered to do a presentation on empowerment codes for Norwegian companies in SA.
Mahlatse Mminele, a spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, confirmed the complaint.
“I am quite aware about the story as we received the correspondence last Tuesday,” Mminele said.
Norwegian embassy spokeswoman May-Elen Stener said a meeting would be held soon with Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana to clear up the matter.
“We had a meeting with Manyi to discuss how we could help to push the agenda to create decent work opportunities for SA. However, he raised issues that we did not like,” Stener said.
SA is one of the developing countries targeted by the Norwegians for assistance on employment projects.
Manyi said he was “surprised and very disappointed that this issue is coming up now” as he did not discuss business during the courtesy visit by the Norwegians.
“I don’t have time for business as I work 24 hours, and you can check my records,” he said.
Manyi said it was his duty to meet international investors to discuss issues that would have a positive effect on SA’s economy.
That was the context in which he raised the issue of doing a presentation on empowerment codes at no cost to the Norwegians. “I strongly believe that as a good corporate citizen I have the duty to promote South African interests, and to attract foreign direct investment.”
Manyi questioned the timing of the complaint as he came to hear about it four weeks ago, a month after the meeting.
He said he had explained the meeting to Mdladlana.
Mdladlana’s spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.
The Freedom Front Plus said yesterday that Manyi should be fired as director-general of the Department of Labour.
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