ppc media release.docx

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Directors BL Sibiya (Executive Chairman) TDA Ross (Lead Independent Director) DJ Castle ZJ Kganyago NB Langa-Royds MP Malungani SK Mhlarhi B Modise T Moyo* MMT Ramano J Shibambo *Zimbabwean Company Secretary JHD Snyman PPC Ltd PPC Building 148 Katherine Street (Cnr Grayston Drive) Sandton Johannesburg PO Box 787416 Sandton 2146 South Africa Tel +27 11 386 9000 Fax +27 11 386 9001 www.ppc.co.za Reg No 1892/000667/06 MEDIA RELEASE 05 NOVEMBER 201 EMBARGO: NONE PPC BOARD SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT The Board of PPC has noted with concern the recent statements in the media by the former CEO, Mr Ketso Gordhan. These statements are defamatory and demonstrate a complete disregard of the Board, governance processes and the interest of shareholders. Mr Ketso Gordhan is in breach of the separation agreement and is also in breach of the undertakings given by his lawyers, Harris Nupen Molebatse Inc. So far the Board has acted with restraint and has avoided a public spat with Mr Gordhan. The Board had previously indicated to his lawyers that if Mr Gordhan continues to ignore the terms of his separation agreement, and continues to make disparaging comments about the Board, the Executives and the Company, the Board will be forced to place into the public domain, the embarrassing circumstances surrounding the reasons for his resignation. The Board in its (SENS) announcement on the 22 nd September 2014, acknowledged the contribution Mr Gordhan had made to PPC. It had never been the intention of the Board to embarrass Mr Gordhan.

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Ppc Media Release

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Directors BL Sibiya (Executive Chairman) TDA Ross (Lead Independent Director) DJ Castle ZJ Kganyago NB Langa-Royds MP Malungani SK Mhlarhi B Modise T Moyo* MMT Ramano J Shibambo *Zimbabwean

Company Secretary JHD Snyman

PPC LtdPPC Building 148 Katherine Street (Cnr Grayston Drive) Sandton JohannesburgPO Box 787416 Sandton 2146 South Africa

Tel +27 11 386 9000 Fax +27 11 386 9001www.ppc.co.za

Reg No 1892/000667/06

MEDIA RELEASE 05 NOVEMBER 201 EMBARGO: NONE

PPC BOARD SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT

The Board of PPC has noted with concern the recent statements in the media by the former

CEO, Mr Ketso Gordhan. These statements are defamatory and demonstrate a complete

disregard of the Board, governance processes and the interest of shareholders.

Mr Ketso Gordhan is in breach of the separation agreement and is also in breach of the

undertakings given by his lawyers, Harris Nupen Molebatse Inc.

So far the Board has acted with restraint and has avoided a public spat with Mr Gordhan.

The Board had previously indicated to his lawyers that if Mr Gordhan continues to ignore

the terms of his separation agreement, and continues to make disparaging comments

about the Board, the Executives and the Company, the Board will be forced to place into

the public domain, the embarrassing circumstances surrounding the reasons for his

resignation.

The Board in its (SENS) announcement on the 22nd September 2014, acknowledged the

contribution Mr Gordhan had made to PPC. It had never been the intention of the Board to

embarrass Mr Gordhan.

Between the 4th and 19th September 2014 Mr Gordhan sort to terminate the services of the

Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Tryphosa Ramano on the basis of the following five reasons:

1. She had a bigger office than him.

2. She had requested reserved parking, which request was declined.

3. She refused to participate in a voluntary salary sacrifice scheme, which Mr Gordhan had

initiated to bridge the wage gap between the highest and lowest paid worker.

4. She was interrogating a loan agreement which Mr Gordhan had verbally agreed to with a

potential funder.

5. She had ill-treated an employee, who Mr Gordhan had employed. This employee and her

husband worked in the same department.

The Board was of the view that the reasons advanced by Mr Gordhan were not substantive

and did not warrant the termination of the CFO. It being noted that Mr Gordhan was always

complimentary of the CFO in his deliberations with the Board and publicly as evidenced by

his comments at the PPC Women’s Forum which was held on 8 August 2014, he boastfully

acknowledged her as the best CFO he had worked with and proclaimed her as “his right

hand partner in the business”.

This was followed a week later by an offer by the former CEO to pay for the CFO’s holiday,

which offer was declined by the CFO.

The Board put a process in place to mediate the situation between the CEO and the CFO,

as the Board strongly believed that both of them were crucial to the company. This process

was undermined by the former CEO, culminating in a legal threat by the former CEO to the

Board.

The former CEO has been with the company for 20 months and in that period had resigned

twice. This type of behaviour was concerning to the Board and this trend was expected to

continue.

The current board has a total of 36 years’ experience on the PPC Board. The individual

board members have multi-disciplinary skills which are complementary and lead to robust

and effective board deliberations.

The board has always carried out its duties with due care, skill and diligence, being

cognisant at all times that their duty is to do what is in the best interest of all stakeholders,

in particular the shareholders and employees.

The allegation that the Board is malfunctioning surfaced when the former CEO, embarked

on an extensive media campaign to be reinstated as CEO of the company as according to

him “he is the right man for the job”. He has also articulated his desire to reconstitute the

Board. In the first requisition for convening a special meeting given to the company on the

8th October 2014, it was proposed that four of the current board members be re-elected.

None of the four had been approached to confirm if they were willing to stand.

The four directors declined to be part of the proposed new board as the current board

(except Mr. Darryl Castle who appointed 17October 2014) was unanimous in their decision

that the former CEO should not be reinstated.

The current board has the expertise to run the company, and has never faced criticism in

this regard until accepting the resignation of the previous CEO. The Board continuously

assesses its board membership to ensure correct expertise, this is evidenced in the recent

appointments of Mr Todd Moyo and Mr Castle who bring invaluable Africa experience on

board.

In 2011, the company launched a new vision: to grow PPC into a leading emerging market

business. This was a new strategy to carefully and deliberately grow our geographic

footprint outside of South Africa. The African strategy predates the former CEO, Mr

Gordhan.

The Board has and continues to insist on high standards of corporate governance and has

ensured that management provides the board with sound and proper information on which

to base decisions. The project in Algeria is a case in point. Mr Gordhan’s statements that

a financial institution has indicated that it is not going to grant a loan to the company as a

result of his exit is factually unfounded and damages the image of the company and could

be interpreted as actions of a delinquent director.

The Board and the Executive committee wish to state that the growth momentum of the

company remains on track with signed EPC contracts for four projects viz.: Rwanda, DRC,

Ethiopia and Zimbabwe with construction underway. These projects are progressing well

against expected timelines and within budgets:

The project in Rwanda is 90% complete. Busi Legodi is the CEO and has 18 years’

experience with PPC.

In Zimbabwe, Njombo Lekula serves as CEO and has 20 years’ experience with the

company.

In Ethiopia, the expansion project is progressing well against targets and timelines, with

an increase in PPC’s shareholding as announced this morning to 51%.

In the DRC, the project is progressing well and the company has established a trading

operation.

The Board remains committed to recruit and appoint a suitable CEO as a matter of

urgency.

Issued on behalf of: PPC Board of Directors

By: Kingmaker Consulting

For more information: Rams Mabote

Tel: 011-7145019

Email: [email protected]