Johannesburg - Former Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement chairman Mr Kader Asmal (right), now serving as South Africa's Minister of Education, has the dubious distinction of being identified by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) as one of South Africa's worst employers, writes Patrick Laurence.
Cited by COSATU in his capacity of Minister of Education, Mr Asmal is held to account for employment practices in the Department of Education.
The complaints on which Mr Asmal is held to be "guilty as charged" are: (1) Reducing the number of jobs in the department by 5,000; (2) Introducing changes to the conditions of service in the department; (3) Risking the health of his colleagues by defying a prohibition on smoking.