Staff reporter
Bloemfontein – The Public Service Commission in Free State has met the management of the Department of Social Development after staff members wrote a damning letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The 8-page letter was sent to President Ramaphosa, erstwhile Premier, Mxolisi Dukwana, Secretary General of the African National Congress, Fikile Mbalula, Public Service Commission, Public Protector, and South African Human Rights Commission among others on 9 April 2024.
Unlawful transfers and irregular appointments were among the key complaints the staff asked they are investigated.
According to public service regulations, a transfer can only happen when an employee:
- requests or
- consents,
However, staff at Social Development claim this was not the case when they were transferred in December 2023.
A letter sent to officials on 21 December 2023, shows at least 11 officials transferred to other directorates with sources saying some of the employees are transferred to positions with functions they know nothing about.
The transfer of staff is a huge thing in the Free State Provincial Government and recently, a Human Resources employee was transferred to Social Development under the false pretence that he was consulted
His sin was writing a letter to PSC to blow a whistle on alleged dubious payments.
What followed was a sad state of affairs for 57-year-old James Zuko, he was allegedly locked out of office and physically removed by security like a criminal.
The sad part none of the MECs; Ketso Makume, Director General, Kopung Ralikontsane, and Premier, Mxolisi Dukwana did due diligence to ensure the transfer was legit by asking if the employee agreed or at least asked for minutes of the consultation, they all signed.
Last year, Thabang Mokoka, Director of Media Relations at the Office of the Premier was transferred to the Central University of Technology, and his permanent position was filled by a politically linked employee after Sefora Ntombela resigned, till this year, something PSc still have to answer how it happened.
In Free State politicians just move their politically linked employees into administrations without even advertising the positions.
Could the letter to president be one of the reasons Mxolisi Dukwana was axed?
This is a developing story.
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