Following our article on the 9th of October 2022 in which we reported how the Free State Department of Education is embroiled in irregular appointments and numerous emails to the Public Service Commission, there are new developments.
In our back and forth with PSC they argued that they are only allowed to investigate cases after government employees have lodged complaints and other than that they can’t do anything, but then this explains why a total of 94 senior managers in the Free State Government do not meet minimum requirements, they do not monitor nor evaluate as their mandate. Free State Department of Education has 8 employees in senior management who do not have the required qualifications according to Minister of Public Service and Administration, Thulas Nxesi.
J J Wessels, an employee at the Department of Education complained to the PSC a month after we published the story and the report found indeed that the appointment was irregular.
This is according to a leaked PSC report signed by Free State Province Commissioner, Dr. Boshoff.
He starts by fully detailing the grievance.
“According to Mr Wessels’s grievance form, he is aggrieved about the appointment of Ms Z Msibi into a Deputy Director (DD): Financial Management on the directorate: Budget and Financial Planning, in the component budget management Head Office and Districts, without the advertisement of the post.”
With regards to the findings PSC found:
“According to Mr Wessels’s grievance form, he is aggrieved about the appointment of Ms Z Msibi into a Deputy Director (DD): Financial Management on the directorate: Budget and Financial Planning, I’m the component budget management Head Office and Districts, without the advertisement of the post.
No evidence could be found that the approval had been obtained by the department prior to creating the temporary post of DD: Financial Management, in which Ms Msibi is appointed.
The department was requested to provide the approved submission for the creation of the post. However, such submission could not be provided.
In view of the fact that no approval had been obtained by the department for the creation of the temporary post of DD: into which Ms Msibi was appointed; and that the department headhunted Ms Msibi without following the proper procedure for headhunting as stipulated in regulation 67(7) of PSR, 2016, the contract of Ms Msibi into the post DD: Financial Planning is irregular.”
Dealing with recommendations Dr. Boshoff gave the department deadlines to correct the irregular appointment and go to labor court.
We also reported how the department hired a convicted criminal and the family of MEC’s wife and how the same department is using a guest house belonging to the family.
With this report the MEC allegedly halted the recruitment of advertised positions, this is contained in the text doing the rounds in the department.
“Good evening Colleagues
The Acting DDG: CS, Mr. Tladi has requested me to alert affected SMS that all recruitment processes for HR Vacancy Circular 1 of 2022 (PS posts) must be suspended until further notice, as per instruction of the Honourable MEC!”
Interestingly, Msibi was hired just after Tladi became acting DDG: CS replacing Fani Sithole and he also moved the then Supply Chain Director, Lebo Sebeela, and replaced him with Comeback Legegeru.
It’s not clear if Makgoe will review the acting of Tladi following this report but we are told Tladi is considering getting a legal opinion.
The deadline by PSC has since lapsed, we shall investigate if the department has referred this to labor court of not.
In other news a school principal is allegedly chasing matriculants who still owe the school at Edu-College in Welkom as a result they will not be writing their exams.
Howard Ndaba, spokesperson for Education could not be reached for a comment.
This is a developing story.
If you have news or tips please email us at news@stepupsanews.co.za or WhatsApp 0685000246
2 thoughts on “PSC report forces Makgoe to halt the recruitment process”