Those of you who having following my blog for some time will know the story of Witness Khumalo. For the new readers, and the older one's who forget, here's a link to some of my stuff posted on Witness.
Anyway, for the past few months he's really been getting"old". It's a dumb statement as he was 71 yrs old anyway, but till then was still strong and active, and got the work done. But he was slowing down, and I found him often just sitting there in the garden, resting. I didn't say anything as I knew he was not too well, and was happy to pay him just for turning up anyway.
Then, when he couldn't come in cause he was not well, or it was raining, he would use his neighbors cellphone to let me know he wouldn't make it, and i would drive down to his place of residence, and pay him anyway. He had no other form of income, and I knew if I didn't help out, he would have no food for the week.
By the ens of September I went to see him again. He was not too well, complained of his chest. So I decided that I would put him on pension. I discussed it with him, and he appreciated that he would get paid every month, but didn't have to come work. I paid him a bit more than he would have got if he did come in, and left. Oh, I had also taken down a couple of grocety products, just in case he didn't have any at the time. I gave Sara, his neighbour with the cellphone ZAR10 for airtime for her cellphone. That way I knew if he needed to call me for anything, she would let him. He was looking quite weak, and thinner.....
End of October, I again went down there, and paid him his pension. He was still complaining about his chest. I asked if he had been to the clinic, and he said he had. Gave Sara another ZAR10 for the airtime.
End of November, I went down the Friday instead of the Saturday, (as we had arranged) as I would not be able to go Saturday. He was at the clinic. I left the pension money with his common law wife, had a chat with Sara, gave her ZAR10 for aitrtime, and asked her to ensure that Witness got his money from his "wife". I also asked her to tell him I would be back before Xmas, with his Xmas Hamper, something I had given him every year since he started to work for me.
He called a few days later to say he had got the money, and thanx, and that if I came through with the hamper, to leave it with Sara. (Not sure why not with his "wife", but I didn't ask.)
Thursday, 10th December, 2009. I get a call from a lady called Nomsa. She does care work for the church she says, and is calling to tell me that Witness was admitted to the Helen Joseph Hospital. Didn't say why / what for. I said I would go and see him soon.
Friday, 11th December, 2009. I'm at the client early (6.20am), and get through a couple of meetings, before I need to go to the office. On the way I go via the hospital. It's a small detour so no problem. On my arrival, about 12.15 midday, I get pointed to the East wing. It's about a 300 meter walk! This hospital was an apartheid construction, and was first world. It now resembles any other unkept hospital in any other 3rd world country. Anyway, I get a security guard who tells me where to find Witness, but says I can't go see him. It's not visiting hours. Yea right I say. I am his empployer, and I came away from the office to see him, and I cant come back betwee 3 + 4. So he calls upstairs, ward 23. On Duty sister says send him up.
I get there, tell the story of being the employer, and they show me to his room.
Well, to say I was shocked is an understatement. make no mistake, the hospital room was clean, well kept, the bedding looked fine, the windows were clean. In fact, surprisingly well looked after.
Witness, on the other hand, had, in 2 months since I had seen him, been reduced to a very, very sick person. His upper leg was as thick as my wrist! Yup, I felt it through his pyjamas, and it was just the bone, covered in skin. He looked terrible. I spent about 10 minutes with him. When I spoke he recognised me, and made an attempt to respond, but he was not well at all. Asking the sister what was going on all I kept getting was "We cannot disclose", so I have no idea if he had cancer, TB, AIDS, or was just starved. I discussed this with her, and she said no, he was not starved, but very sick.
On asking him about his chest, he said it was still sore. Overall, I don't think he was completely aware, but he did know I was there, and when I said I would see him again soon, he just nodded.
I wont get to see Witness again, not soon anyway. This morning at 6.15 am I got a call from Sara, to say that he had passed away yesterday at about 3pm. Quite posssibly I was the last person to visit him.
Rest in peace Witness, Hamba Kaya. You are the last of the Zulu Warriors, and kept your pride to the end. And, thank you.
Salagatle!
PS - The ANC as a political party, as the ruling party in government, and most specificaly the Department of Home Affairs let you down. So badly. Not even having a Zulu as president made any difference. They may not have given you an new ID document, they may not have reinstated your State pension, but you were always better than them, and showed them you could. The sad part, for you, but the blessing for me, was that you had to be supported in the end, by a Mulungu! Just glad I could.
LIU - Look It Up!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
The big wheel keeps turning
IF YOU WORK FOR THE SAME COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT DIRECT ANYONE ELSE TO THIS PAGE WHO CANNOT BE TRUSTED FULLY TO RETAIN MY CONFIDENTIALITY. ANY UNDUE EXPOSURE WILL RESULT IN MY DISMISSAL, AND THEN I WILL HAVE TO HUNT SOMEONE DOWN, AND KILL THEM.
I'm not sure if I have reported here the trouble I have been having with my current manager - she who will be referred to a SD - Satan's Daughter, but here's a quick update.
She took over from my previous manager last year Oct. She's been with the company for many years, too many in fact. Anyway, when it came to my personal review at the beginning of this year, she gave me a really shit rating, in fact she rated me as one of the worst performers on my team. this after I had achieved almost 200% of signing target for 2008! contested this, obviously, and had a re-review done, by her new manager, some opinionated bitch from the USofA. She re rated me one place higher, which was better, although still did not put me in line for an increase. Both of them referred to my "attitude" as being the reason for the poor rating. However, although both referred to emails / information they have to collaborate this, neither made this written information available to me. In fact, both failed the corporate process in that it states "If a manager is replaced in the middle of a financial year, they must, in writing, to both the new manager and the employee, give over their assessment of that employee". I also had every single line of "Reasons for the poor assessment" which SD had put into my assessment dismissed as incorrect / pure fabrication!!!!!
Anyway, Satan's Daughter is also one of these that cannot stand being challenged, and shown up. She has zero People's skills, and has the management ability of a tormented bull, on steroids, with his testicles tied to a tree!!!
Earlier this year, I sent an email, following an incident and an email I received telling one of the so called lime managers that if he intended to lie to my client, I would escalate him.... closing of with the words "..Just try me!" He sent this off to everyone on his mailing list (well, not quite, but to all senior managers in my reporting chain) and SD decided that this was to be seen as a threat, and so cited me, and issued me with a written warning that this type of behavior is seen as a threat, was not acceptable, and should it be repeated within the next 6 months, could / would result in my dismissal. In absolute disbelief, I signed it and left.
Then, a few weeks later, she called me urgently on a Friday afternoon. She had to see me, in her office, same day! The fact that I was taking clients for a light lunch and drinks was irrelevant! I broke away from the guys, and went to see her, at which point she presented me with a "Voluntary separation package". Basically, she wants me to fuck off, and made a financial offer to me, which if I accepted would have terminated my employment here, and left me with a couple of ZAR in the pocket. As soon as I looked at the figure I told her that if she added a zero to the end of the number, I may consider, else we didn't have a deal!. She then stated that if I didn't accept this, she would put me on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan), and I laughed on the basis that my performance was immeasurable! She asked how I could say so, and my response was that the system / tool was broken / incorrect, and if she intended to measure me by that she would be making a big mistake.
Anyway, I took the offer, promising to look over it, and left. Since then she has put me on a PIP. So far I have had one feedback session, where I pointed out that everything she wants me to do / achieve (nearly everything) I am doing already!!!! Whatever!
Now for the good news. I recently, due to my nature of being so many of my peers "confidant" became privy to some seriously good information. Satan's Daughter was overheard having a telephonic discussion, with one of her reportees "nogal", about another manager in the company. This wouldn't be a problem, if a) The words "She mustn't think she can fuck with me" were not used, and if the person being "threatened" in this instance, wasn't a good friend of mine! In no time the information was passed on, the person on the other end of the line conceded that the conversation did in fact take place, and that this person would testify to the fact!
As things stand now - a meeting has been requested, and the discussion will go around a) This Satan's spawn needs to be issued with a written warning! and b) Satan's Daughter is not fit to be a peoples manager!!!! HEY, Justice - on the horizon!!!!!!!
UPDATE:-
When this issue referred to above was raised at a meeting between Satan's Daughter, her manager, and the aggrieved person, her manager walked out stating this was a personal matter they need to sort out between them!!!! Can you believe this crap! And SD went into begging mode, apologizing for the event, and claiming it's because of the stress she's under, blah, blah, blah. Then the big boss came back in, and continued with the meeting as if the incident was never raised??!??
So, the aggrieved is putting in writing her unhappiness with this reaction, the failure to address the problem, and will take it to the head honcho, to raise as a serious mis-management situation, requesting the initiation of an investigation and the relevant punishment. This is still not finished.
It also gives me the ammo I need to make an issue of my "Written warning" in the event things go squiggly on me.
Oh, and there's more - but only to be revealed when it's more safe to do so.
Salagatle!
I'm not sure if I have reported here the trouble I have been having with my current manager - she who will be referred to a SD - Satan's Daughter, but here's a quick update.
She took over from my previous manager last year Oct. She's been with the company for many years, too many in fact. Anyway, when it came to my personal review at the beginning of this year, she gave me a really shit rating, in fact she rated me as one of the worst performers on my team. this after I had achieved almost 200% of signing target for 2008! contested this, obviously, and had a re-review done, by her new manager, some opinionated bitch from the USofA. She re rated me one place higher, which was better, although still did not put me in line for an increase. Both of them referred to my "attitude" as being the reason for the poor rating. However, although both referred to emails / information they have to collaborate this, neither made this written information available to me. In fact, both failed the corporate process in that it states "If a manager is replaced in the middle of a financial year, they must, in writing, to both the new manager and the employee, give over their assessment of that employee". I also had every single line of "Reasons for the poor assessment" which SD had put into my assessment dismissed as incorrect / pure fabrication!!!!!
Anyway, Satan's Daughter is also one of these that cannot stand being challenged, and shown up. She has zero People's skills, and has the management ability of a tormented bull, on steroids, with his testicles tied to a tree!!!
Earlier this year, I sent an email, following an incident and an email I received telling one of the so called lime managers that if he intended to lie to my client, I would escalate him.... closing of with the words "..Just try me!" He sent this off to everyone on his mailing list (well, not quite, but to all senior managers in my reporting chain) and SD decided that this was to be seen as a threat, and so cited me, and issued me with a written warning that this type of behavior is seen as a threat, was not acceptable, and should it be repeated within the next 6 months, could / would result in my dismissal. In absolute disbelief, I signed it and left.
Then, a few weeks later, she called me urgently on a Friday afternoon. She had to see me, in her office, same day! The fact that I was taking clients for a light lunch and drinks was irrelevant! I broke away from the guys, and went to see her, at which point she presented me with a "Voluntary separation package". Basically, she wants me to fuck off, and made a financial offer to me, which if I accepted would have terminated my employment here, and left me with a couple of ZAR in the pocket. As soon as I looked at the figure I told her that if she added a zero to the end of the number, I may consider, else we didn't have a deal!. She then stated that if I didn't accept this, she would put me on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan), and I laughed on the basis that my performance was immeasurable! She asked how I could say so, and my response was that the system / tool was broken / incorrect, and if she intended to measure me by that she would be making a big mistake.
Anyway, I took the offer, promising to look over it, and left. Since then she has put me on a PIP. So far I have had one feedback session, where I pointed out that everything she wants me to do / achieve (nearly everything) I am doing already!!!! Whatever!
Now for the good news. I recently, due to my nature of being so many of my peers "confidant" became privy to some seriously good information. Satan's Daughter was overheard having a telephonic discussion, with one of her reportees "nogal", about another manager in the company. This wouldn't be a problem, if a) The words "She mustn't think she can fuck with me" were not used, and if the person being "threatened" in this instance, wasn't a good friend of mine! In no time the information was passed on, the person on the other end of the line conceded that the conversation did in fact take place, and that this person would testify to the fact!
As things stand now - a meeting has been requested, and the discussion will go around a) This Satan's spawn needs to be issued with a written warning! and b) Satan's Daughter is not fit to be a peoples manager!!!! HEY, Justice - on the horizon!!!!!!!
UPDATE:-
When this issue referred to above was raised at a meeting between Satan's Daughter, her manager, and the aggrieved person, her manager walked out stating this was a personal matter they need to sort out between them!!!! Can you believe this crap! And SD went into begging mode, apologizing for the event, and claiming it's because of the stress she's under, blah, blah, blah. Then the big boss came back in, and continued with the meeting as if the incident was never raised??!??
So, the aggrieved is putting in writing her unhappiness with this reaction, the failure to address the problem, and will take it to the head honcho, to raise as a serious mis-management situation, requesting the initiation of an investigation and the relevant punishment. This is still not finished.
It also gives me the ammo I need to make an issue of my "Written warning" in the event things go squiggly on me.
Oh, and there's more - but only to be revealed when it's more safe to do so.
Salagatle!
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