Wicks takes action over suspension

IAN WICKS, founder and MD of SA Independent Liner Services (Sails), brought an urgent application in the Cape High Court this week, declaring his suspension unlawful and requesting immediate reinstatement to his position. He maintains he has not been furnished or advised of the reason for his June 3 suspension, although FTW was told by two Lonrho executives that Wicks’ reporting information was not satisfactory, giving rise to suspension and an ongoing inquiry. Wicks, as advised by counsel, maintains his suspension is unlawful and has not followed due process, being solely at the behest of Lonrho and not endorsed by the sixmember Sails board. Speaking exclusively to FTW last week, Wicks said: “This is not a job for me, it never was. It is what I am; Sails is a life goal from as far back as when I was a nine-year-old walking the Durban docks.” At the heart of his urgent application yesterday (July 3) is the lifting of the suspension, reinstatement as MD and matters related to breach of contract and breach of shareholders’ agreement. “They (Lonrho) have agreed as part of their first submission to our application to withdraw references to defamatory allegations of gross misconduct, as well as allegations a successor is being sought. “This notice should be advertised with the same prominence as were the original announcements.” The way Wicks tells it, he was summoned to a meeting with Lonrho MD Geoffery White and Lonrho country manager for Southern Africa, Rob Scott, on June 2 where he was requested to take leave for two months. “When I asked why, they said I was tired and run down and that it had taken a lot out of me to get Sails to where we are.” In an interview with FTW on June 9, Peter Albeck, acting MD of Sails, admitted Wicks had done “a marvellous job”, though overworked. Wicks’ request that Lonrho should respond in writing to its reasoning behind the suspension, who would run the company in the interim and what the terms would be of his returning to Sails, was not acceded to, a letter of suspension following on June 4. The conditions of Wicks’ suspension are that he may not communicate with shareholders, Sails directors, staff, clients, creditors, “basically the whole shipping liner industry.” Acting for Wicks in the High Court action is respected senior counsel, Schalk Burger, along with junior counsel, Frans Rautenbach, instructed by Webber Wentzel Bowens.