By BAKANG MOKOTO
The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration (PSA) calls on Premiers from three provinces, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West to fill the positions of the Heads of Departments (HODs) and comply with policy stipulating the performance management development system.
The Chairperson of the committee, Tyotyo James said the report flagged that these provinces are having a high vacancy rate for the HODs positions.
“On 3 March 2021, the Portfolio Committee received a report from the DPSA on the turnover and filling of the Directors-General/Heads of Departments in the public service, as well as the Public Service Commission.
“This has resulted in the Portfolio Committee taking a decision to extend an invitation to the provinces with high HODs vacancy rate in order to understand their challenges in filling those critical positions,” James said.
He further said the National Development Plan (NDP) states that many of government’s best performing institutions are characterised by stability in leadership positions. Jame added that the committee appealed to all three provinces to ensure that HoDs positions are filled within the required stipulated time frames as per the Public Service Act of 1994 and its regulations.
“Furthermore, the committee cautioned the provinces to act within the law in terms of acting positions. The committee observed that suitably qualified heads of departments with proper relevant experience lead to the better implementation of departments’ predetermined objectives in line with NDP’s observations.
“The committee heard that in Northern Cape, there were four vacant HoDs positions, the same in North West, and six vacant posts in Mpumalanga. The committee heard from the premiers that the posts will be filled in accordance with the guidelines by August 2021,” said James.
He also said the committee welcomes the commitment because in order for a department to operate optimally and efficiently, it should not be without a head of department for a lengthy period.
The committee heard that the Head of Department for the Department of Sports, Art and Culture in the Northern Cape has been on suspension since September 2020, following the report from the Public Protector where she was directly implicated for misappropriation of funds.
The next hearing is on 19 July 2021 and until such time, she is on precautionary suspension.
“The committee raised its concern that suspensions should not take longer than six months as the state will be paying twice for the same position (once for the incumbent on suspension and the other for the person acting in that position) and this, therefore, increases the budget for personnel expenditure,” he said.
Recently, the North West Social Development appointed Emannuel Mofokane as the new Head of Department, but this did not sit well with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) together with Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the province.
It is alleged that Mofokane does not have the necessary qualifications to be appointed as the HoD.
NEHAWU provincial deputy secretary, Ignatius Msoki said’: “We were not part of the process during Mofokane’s appointment. We also want to put it on record that, the leader of the government has taken a decision to exclude us as the union in the recruitment process of the Head of Department of the Department of Social Development.
“NEHAWU received a letter that introduced Mokokane to us as the new HoD. This was followed by the allegations that he was not qualified for the position. We then requested a meeting with North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro to engage him on this issue.”
COSATU also shared the same sentiments. COSATU provincial secretary, Kopano Konopi said they have called on the North West Social Development MEC, Boitumelo Moiloa and Mokgoro to give this matter urgent attention.
“We urge Moiloa and Mokgoro to address this matter in a dignified manner as soon as possible and for stability purposes, but to put the appointment in abeyance until matters are settled.
“If the panel knows better that the appointed candidate does not meet the requirements then it must do the right thing and re-start the process from the beginning,” Konopi said.
However, Mokgoro alleged that he took no part in Mofokane’s appointment.











