Inhumane treatment of staff at Human Settlements continues unabated

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The Free State Department of Human Settlements, already under scrutiny for its failure to deliver housing projects on time, is now facing claims of mistreating its own employees in a pattern reminiscent of what unfolded at the Department of Social Development.

The department, which is mandated to provide decent housing to vulnerable communities, has recently been linked to controversies surrounding stalled projects such as Silver City and G-Hostel, while questions continue to linger over the Allanridge housing scandal exposed last year.

Now, employees claim they are being subjected to unlawful labour practices.

STEP UP SA News can confirm that several employees have been transferred to positions for which they have neither the qualifications nor the necessary skills to perform effectively.

According to information obtained by this publication, some of the affected employees did not consent to the transfers, raising serious questions about the legality of the department’s actions.

A leaked memorandum in possession of STEP UP SA News appears to confirm that a number of officials were reassigned despite objections, potentially exposing the department to labour disputes and legal challenges.

The claims mirror concerns raised by employees at the Department of Social Development in April 2024, when workers sought intervention from President Cyril Ramaphosa over what they described as victimisation, intimidation and unlawful management practices.

Despite those complaints, little appears to have changed. The Public Service Commission (PSC) in the Free State has yet to publicly disclose the outcome of its intervention, leading to growing frustration among public servants who believe their grievances have been ignored.

STEP UP SA News has submitted questions to PSC Chairperson Professor regarding the status of the Social Development complaints and whether the commission intends investigating the latest claims at Human Settlements.

Social Dev. staff seek intervention from Ramaphosa, Mbalula, and Human Rights Commission

Professor Fikeni has previously cautioned public servants against carrying out unlawful instructions, warning that compliance with irregular directives does not absolve officials from accountability.

Teboho “Sulky” Mokoena, MEC for Human Settlements and COGTA has not yet responded to questions sent by publication about transfers in his department sent on Tuesday, 13 February 2026.

This is a developing story as we aim to publish the leaked transfers including vacant positions left by the unlawful transfers which poses questions of who will fill them?

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