By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Five of Postbank’s seven board members have resigned ahead of the state-owned entity’s annual general meeting (AGM) expected to be held on Thursday.
Those stepping down are board chairperson Thabile Wonci, Gcobani Mancotywa, Vuyelwa Matsiliza, Martin Mahosi, and Dr Leigh Hefer-Hendrikse.
This is according to a scathing leaked letter dated September 12 shared on X (formerly Twitter), addressed to Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele.The letter could not be independently verified at the time of publication.
In their letter to Gungubele, the board accused him of an “oppressive and hostile” attitude.
The signatories said “recent events and unfortunate circumstances” between them and Gungubele led them to resign with immediate effect.
“No self-respecting board can perform any meaningful work with the level of interference, undue pressure and influence that we’ve had.”
“This obviously has deeply disturbed us,” read the letter.
While they acknowledged the difficulties at the bank, the “negative treatment and hostility” they suffered, undermined the bank’s credibility.
Consequently, they wrote, they could not continue to be associated with an institution of which the board “continues to be undermined and disrespected”.
They listed at least six instances in which they wrote to Gungubele addressing various concerns, but got no reply.
The “oppressive and hostile attitude” of the minister towards them has become untenable, the board said.
“To date, the board has not been fully and meaningfully engaged in any of the above various cited communications.
“Our commitment to the bank has always been driven by a deep sense of responsibility towards our beloved country and its people, our stakeholders, Postbank’s staff members, its esteemed clients and grants beneficiaries, and it is with this same sense of responsibility that we tender our resignation.
“This decision to resign from the organisation for which we have worked so hard to ensure it delivers its mandate, particularly to the majority of the vulnerable South Africans, the grant beneficiaries, was not reached lightly. We understand and accept the implications of this decision,” said the board.
Gungubele and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu are expected to address the media on Thursday afternoon over continued problems with the payout of Sassa grants that continue to plague the post office.