Will PSC investigate on the secondment of Sello Martins?

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The secondment of Sello Martins, former Chief Financial Officer in Office of The Premier will be a litmus test for Professor Brian Nakedi, the new Commissioner of Public Service Commission (PSC).

Nakedi has taken over from Dr Henk Boshof following his departure in January 2024.

This follows the suspension of Mosa Masemene, head of department at Public Works and Infrastructure (PWI), over the irregular secondment of Madillo Tsehle from Social Department to Human Settlements in 2022/23.

The PSC found approval from Ketso Makume, former MEC for COGTA and Human Settlements was not granted as he had the authority and Masemene, should have ensured approval was granted before Tsehle continued.

STEPUPSANEWS can confirm the secondment letter of Sello Martins from Office of the Premier to Free State Development Corporation (FDC) was not signed by Executive Authorities.

The letter seen by this publication is signed Dr Solomon Phera, former Acting DIrector General, Sello Martins, former CFO, and Kgotso Tau, acting CEO of FDC.

In the letter, Martins is seconded to FDC as Finance Manager.

The FDC is currently without a CFO.

A senior labor law expert who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said departmental transfers require EAs.

“Any transfer from department A to B has to be approved by the Executive Authority, failure, will result into irregularity.

If it’s internal, the accounting officer approves.”

In 2023, the secondment of Advocate Mokgobo from Education to Health was approved by EAs after Provincial Treasury declined to approve the transfer.

The PSC’s mandate includes:

“tasked and empowered to, amongst others, investigate, monitor, and evaluate the organisation and administration of the Public Service.”

Dr Mafole Mokalobe, acting Director General in the Free State Provincial Government didn’t respond to our questions including how many PSC reports have been implemented.

The PSC can investigate matters on its own accord as contemplated in section 196(4)(f) (iii) and (iv) of the Constitu- tion, 1996.

There is also the outstanding Social Development report PSC is yet to release after staff complained on the 9 April 2024, 11 months ago. The 8 pages long complains in possession of this publication was sent to President Ramaphosa, Fikile Mbalula, Secretary General of ANC, South African Human Rights Commissioner, and Public Protector of South Africa among others.

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