Staff reporter
Bloemfontein – The Public Service Commission (PSC) in the Free State is going after 5 officials who showed it the middle finger last month after they snubbed its investigation.
The commission had invited the interview panel members to scheduled interviews on the 13th of June 2023 after receiving a complaint anonymously on the 3rd of April 2023.
According to the copy of the complaint in our possession:
- It is alleged that the HOD of Treasury, Me Sesing, illegally intercepted a recruitment process for the post of Director – Fiscal Policy to influence who must be appointed,
- It is also alleged that one of the panel members, CFO Botes, rushed to the HOD to inform her that the panel recommended a candidate that she did not favor and the HOD immediately called other two panel members to instruct them to reconvene the panel meeting and reconsider their decision,
- Apparently, the panel reconsidered and changed their recommendation out of pressure from HOD’s illegal interception (unethical) process.
- It is further alleged that the CFO deliberately leaked the panel information because she is buying favors from the HOD because she is not qualified to be the CFO of Treasury since she holds some Marketing qualification.
In the same complaint, the complainant implores the commission to investigate the qualifications of Chief Financial Officer, Ms Botes.
This prompted the PSC to write to Mxolisi Dukwana, Premier of the Free State on the 6th of April 2023, as we published.
The commission while investigating the alleged misconduct, invited panel members for interviews in its offices, and on the 12th June 2023, just a day before scheduled interviews, Rampai Attorneys wrote to the commission acting on behalf of Free State Treasury, informing PSC that Treasury employees will not be able to attend the interviews.
“In the circumstances, and with impending consultation aimed at obtaining further instructions, we wish to inform you that our client, and by extension its employees, will not be able to attend the interviews as set out for the date mentioned herein above.”
Step UP SA News has since established the commission and has now written to 5 officials who are believed to be the panel members to appear before it on 28 July 2023 to give reasons why they failed to appear before it despite numerous correspondence sent to the department.
The 5 officials will appear as follows:
Tshepo Mabilo, Chief Director Assets now acting CFO Police and Roads – 10H00
JH Botes, Chief Financial Officer – 10H30
Steven Mgoma, Acting Director Sustainable ResourcesManagement – 11H00
CM Tadi, Director Public Finance and Financial Asset Management – 11H30
N Mokotso. HRM Representative – 12H00
According to sources with intimate knowledge, the two officials alleged to have been part of the meeting reconvened after Botes allegedly told Sesing about the panel recommendation are (names withheld) till Tuesday.
The name of the persons in the middle of this mess have been revealed with Lefoma Lebone, Deputy Director of Revenue Reforms at Treasury been the panel’s preferred candidate for the job, we can report that this changed as Masibi Merriam Moduka from Standard Bank being the preferred after the alleged reconsideration.
Humphrey Ramafoko, spokesperson for PSC said the commission will not comment until the investigation is concluded.
“Kindly note that the Public Service Commission is currently busy with the investigation and will not comment until after the conclusion of the process.”
We asked if PSC will open criminal charges against those who rebuffed it and he would not be drawn into it.
If you have any news or tips please send us an email at news@stepupsanews.co.za
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