Shope-Mafole article misleading

Your article “Knives out for Shope-Mafole” is misleading, at best, fabrication.

The article wrongly suggests that political infighting, coupled with the department's disappointing overall performance, has resulted in rising speculation that Department of Communications (DOC) director-general Lyndall Shope-Mafole could be on her way out. What political infighting?

From time immemorial, Shope-Mafole's political affiliation has never compromised her civil service duties as the accounting officer for the Department. Certainly, those who choose to ignore her achievements, do so at their own peril. If there have been some differences of opinions between a journalist(s) and the DG, it should not be misconstrued as failure on her part.

I can speak of the dawn of digital migration through her hard work in the country, making South Africa among the first in the developing world to migrate from analogue to digital without a glitch.

I can speak of her achievements of making South Africa successfully host the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) for the first time on the African soil in the history of the International Telecommunications Union, not to mention her election as the chairperson of the Assembly, making her the first woman to chair a WTSA in the history of the ITU, and having accomplished this with great international acclamation.

After casting aspersions on her with regard to the undersea cables, Seacom has now requested to join with Uhurunet.

This is, of course, not the occasion to record the achievements of the DG, but your shallow review of her prompts me to assert some of these.

The Public Service Commission and not ITWeb, which professionally and in detail, reviews her work with assistance of her peers as well as other ministers, have always graded her positively. The department has never even received an unqualified report under her stewardship.

Those who choose to ignore her achievements, do so at their own peril. If there have been some differences of opinions between a journalist(s) and the DG, it should not be misconstrued as failure on her part.

Joe Makhafola is the Ministerial Liaison Officer for the Department of Communications

On the political front, the Shope's and Mafole's were born in the struggle and have always been loyal members of the African National Congress. So people who know her well, understand when she says in her resignation letter: “It is with a painful heart that I tender my resignation from the ANC and its NEC.” Her parents, siblings, and many who nurtured her, like Ministers of Communications and Foreign Affairs, have also been pained by her decision.

We have long passed that stage of intolerance, at least it should have among the intellectuals, I hope. These imaginary tensions that you are creating between the Minister of Communications and the DG have never and still do not exist.

The DG communicated her intentions to join Congress of the People with the Minister beforehand. The Minister even received the letter of resignation before it went public. Even if Minister and the DG's family could not persuade her to stay in the ANC, the DG did make up her mind, and we must respect her decision. Political association cannot make them enemies.

The relationship between the Minister and the DG remains professional and unfazed by these lies.

In the end, whatever political views we may have, our common objective is for the betterment of all South Africans, that is the tie that binds us.

* Joe Makhafola is the Ministerial Liaison Officer for the Department of Communications.