Tuesday, November 3, 2009

An Honourable Man in a dishonourable age

My father Hall Deeks is 84 years old and is finally retiring as a Chartered Accountant, having worked for a number of Water Boards in the White River area in the Lowveld of South Africa for over thirty years. But not for him a pension or even a gold watch. No, the new Chairman of the Board has accused him of 'cooking the books'. Anyone who knows my father knows that he is a man a absolute integrity and honesty, a man for whom his word is indeed his bond. Never in all the years that he has worked has anyone ever suspected him of the slightest dishonesty or double dealing, never mind accused him of such. This has been a devastating blow to him - he is utterly distraught at the idea that someone might accuse him of dishonesty. As his daughter I feel that the accusation tells us more about the man who made it - he is obviously capable of such things if he can think such thinks. In South Africa today dishonesty and corruption make daily newspaper headings and we live in a dishonourable age but how does a man who was bred in a more honourable age deal with this one now? With great difficulty. Anyone who knows him well or has even met him relatively briefly or had business dealings with him can testify to the character of this most honourable of men.

3 comments:

  1. This is such an outrage! How is it possible that someone is allowed to discredit a man who has worked with the utmost integrity and honour for decades not just weeks, months or years!!!
    I am utterly horrified that this has happened to your Dad. As you said Jayne - anyone who has had any dealings with him whether business, family, spiritual or recreational would recognise the dignity and honesty of the man's character within moments. Is there any recourse???

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  2. He has gone to a lawyer and there is a potential defamation case along with a case to obtain payment for the work that he has done. Of course this is extremely stressful and Penny says he is skeletal. He was thin enough when we saw him at Christmas but the doc is finding it difficult to find somewhere to inject him with the B6 and B12 injections he needs each week.

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  3. Why am i not surprised!! I will pray that everything turns out well. Just remind your dad that he knows the truth as do all the people that matter ... Everyone that he has delt with over the years will know as well - even the shit head that accused him knows it too.

    Cleo
    http://cleof.blogspot.com/
    http://cleof.blogspot.com/

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