US pop icon Madonna has begun her legal defence in a Malawian court as workers at one of the singer's charity projects attempt to sue for unfair dismissal, a tribunal official said Monday.
Eight staff at the failed $15 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls (RMAG) lodged the action at the end of March claiming they were let go without proper procedures.
The star said 'there is nothing unfair about the termination of the applicants' employment given the termination of employment was necessitated by genuine economic reasons,' in documents filed last week by lawyer Davis Njobvu.
Madonna said the decision not to continue funding the academy project was taken by by her charity Raising Malawi Inc 'after carefully reviewing its financial commitments and future plans and was made in good faith.'
Led by Anjimile Oponya, the former head of the school, the workers allege they were forced to sign a termination agreement they describe as 'unfair and unconstitutional'.
Madonna, who adopted children David Banda and Mercy James from Malawian orphanages, said the charity had proposed to pay them more than they were due on the condition they signed a 'confidentiality agreement.'
The pop star also said Raising Malawi, a US-registered foundation providing funds for the school's construction, was not directly implicated in the affair and it was RMAG that 'would be responsible for any matters relating to the applicants' employment.'
She said RMAG was 'ready and willing to pay the applicants their retrenchments and redundancy benefits calculated in accordance with the Employment Act and the laws of Malawi.'
A hearing of the application to strike out Raising Malawi as a party to the action has been set for Wednesday in Blantyre.
Madonna announced in January that she was reviewing the direction of Raising Malawi, which had originally planned to establish an academy offering 500 scholarships to girls from impoverished backgrounds.
In a statement, she said she had realised the academy would not be enough as two-thirds of girls are not educated beyond primary school and she wanted to reach 'thousands and not hundreds of girls' by constructing several schools in the area.
Eight staff at the failed $15 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls (RMAG) lodged the action at the end of March claiming they were let go without proper procedures.
The star said 'there is nothing unfair about the termination of the applicants' employment given the termination of employment was necessitated by genuine economic reasons,' in documents filed last week by lawyer Davis Njobvu.
Madonna said the decision not to continue funding the academy project was taken by by her charity Raising Malawi Inc 'after carefully reviewing its financial commitments and future plans and was made in good faith.'
Led by Anjimile Oponya, the former head of the school, the workers allege they were forced to sign a termination agreement they describe as 'unfair and unconstitutional'.
Madonna, who adopted children David Banda and Mercy James from Malawian orphanages, said the charity had proposed to pay them more than they were due on the condition they signed a 'confidentiality agreement.'
The pop star also said Raising Malawi, a US-registered foundation providing funds for the school's construction, was not directly implicated in the affair and it was RMAG that 'would be responsible for any matters relating to the applicants' employment.'
She said RMAG was 'ready and willing to pay the applicants their retrenchments and redundancy benefits calculated in accordance with the Employment Act and the laws of Malawi.'
A hearing of the application to strike out Raising Malawi as a party to the action has been set for Wednesday in Blantyre.
Madonna announced in January that she was reviewing the direction of Raising Malawi, which had originally planned to establish an academy offering 500 scholarships to girls from impoverished backgrounds.
In a statement, she said she had realised the academy would not be enough as two-thirds of girls are not educated beyond primary school and she wanted to reach 'thousands and not hundreds of girls' by constructing several schools in the area.
From AFP Via Yahoo! News
Perhaps you're both right April and Rabbitbunny, the hat is the only item from Open Your Heart. Perhaps Madonna's legal team can draw attention to yourselves and your hat related observations to the plaintiffs during the litigation in Malawi - which is what this thread is about...
Posted by: C. Gordon | Sunday, 01 May 2011 at 11:58 AM
I agree with Rabbitbunny, the hat is the only item from Open Your Heart. The torn jeans with fishnets underneath dates back to 1982. See Saturday, April 23, 2011 UK Magaizes:Grazia right here in Madonnalicious!
Posted by: April | Sunday, 01 May 2011 at 01:15 AM
Snoro, I'm sure you are both beautiful, and as I don't know you, a stranger too and I'm very happy for you especially in the former instance, but what on Earth has that got to do with Madonna's impending court case in Malawi? Honestly, I think you've contributed to the wrong story's thread - you over ambitious cup cake!! ;) Can you not see the format of this website? I know the separating lines and spaces might seem confusing but please check the story above the comments section after you've selected the comments link, just to check you are contributing to the right thread!
Note to Clare P. : Individual commenters are making the mistake of commenting on the wrong story disappointingly often. How about instructions on how to comment on Madonnalicious for those of us for whome the internet seems an over-complicated boffins playground...?!!! Although it seems beyond belief that anyone could be making this mistake...
Posted by: C. Gordon | Saturday, 30 April 2011 at 07:20 PM
Hey! I'm a beautiful stranger too!
Posted by: Snoro | Saturday, 30 April 2011 at 03:35 PM
why people grab the arm of someone who's reaching a helping hand? tsk tsk tsk....
Posted by: James | Friday, 29 April 2011 at 11:01 AM
Yes when people are forced to submit to misery and desperate, cruel conditions day after day... They just don't have the luxury of acting reasonably. It's like a monster the rest of world's societies are creating.
Posted by: paninaro | Thursday, 28 April 2011 at 10:31 PM
Unfortunately, this is a divining rod to the problems suffered by most of the continent of Africa. A lot of the people in it suffer a downward spiral of hardship and a need to grab at any opportunity of money to counter that hardship. The whole continent's in a rut because of this cause and effect. Madonna's just another money trench to plunder. It's not unrealistic to expect this action from the locals - Madonna and her legal team should take this with a pinch of salt. They probably already are...
Posted by: C. Gordon | Thursday, 28 April 2011 at 05:22 PM
Poor Madonna, everyone is after her money! Is this what she deserves for trying to get half a country out of illiteracy?
Posted by: paninaro | Wednesday, 27 April 2011 at 11:02 PM