Fired Spar Manager Fights to Get Her Job Back

Prashika Mahesh used to be a risk manager at Spar, a big grocery store chain in South Africa. In September last year, Spar fired her. They said she leaked secret whistleblower reports to outside groups. The reports talked about fraud, corruption, and unfair hiring at Spar.

What the Whistleblower Reports Said

The reports made some serious claims. They said Spar's CEO, Mike Bosman, hired friends and created a job for a friend that paid R12 million a year. The reports also said Bosman forced two other managers to quit because they might have written the first whistleblower report. And they said he wasted company money on fancy hotel meetings and tried to find out who wrote the report.

Mahesh's Side of the Story

Mahesh says she did not leak the reports. She says Spar did not give her a fair hearing. The person who decided her case only read papers and did not let her talk in person. She says she wanted to question witnesses, but Spar did not allow that. Mahesh also says Spar hired a private investigator to spy on her after she was fired. Her lawyer says Spar is trying to bully her.

Spar's Side of the Story

Spar says they did a full investigation. They say an outside lawyer looked at the case and found Mahesh guilty of three acts of misconduct. Spar says the claims against the CEO are false and are just meant to hurt the company's reputation. They also say they have laid criminal charges against Mahesh.

What Happens Next

The case is at the CCMA, which helps solve workplace disputes. A hearing started in June and will continue in October. Mahesh wants to be reinstated and clear her name.

This article was originally published on TimesLIVE.