PSC report on law firms, consequence management gathering dust

Staff Reporter

Bloemfontein — A Public Service Commission (PSC) investigation that recommended disciplinary action against former Free State Provincial Treasury head of department Masechaba Sesing, as well as the recovery of money spent on legal fees, have yielded little tangible consequence.

Sesing, who was head of department at Provincial Treasury at the time, was referred to the PSC, Public Protector and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) following an anonymous complaint previously leaked to StepUp SA News.

PSC tries but fails dismally to defend perceived capture by FSPG

The complaint alleged that Sesing had improperly interfered in a recruitment process. The PSC subsequently found the allegation to be substantiated and recommended that the Premier initiate appropriate consequence management against her.

The commission also recommended that money spent on legal services provided by Rampai Attorneys be recovered where appropriate.

The matter had already attracted controversy after both StepUp SA News and the PSC received correspondence from Rampai Attorneys seeking to stop publication of the allegations and the investigation. Those attempts did not prevent the investigation from proceeding.

StepUp SA News has also obtained a letter sent by Sesing to staff despite an earlier warning from then-MEC for Provincial Treasury, Brown, regarding the matter.

Despite the PSC’s recommendations, however, questions remain over what action was ultimately taken. Instead of disciplinary consequences and recovery of the funds as recommended, Sesing was transferred to Lindela, raising questions about whether the commission’s recommendations were effectively implemented.

Sesing is also expected to leave the Free State Provincial Government when her contract ends in July 2027. If the recommendations remain unimplemented, questions will remain over whether the provincial government will ever recover the money identified by the PSC or ensure that consequence management is concluded before her departure.

Meanwhile, the Department of Youth and Disability has invoked the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) when responding to questions from StepUp SA News about the qualifications of Thandiwe Mpondo.

Mpondo has just been appointed Chief of Staff by Mathae, a level 14 position that requires NQF 7

The department’s reliance on POPIA has raised further questions about transparency and accountability, particularly where questions concern qualifications for a public-sector position.

If Free State had a useful and proper-apolitical PSC the recruitment of the following people would be investigated:

Dr Solomon Phera
Millicent Setai
Zongezile Zumane
Dr Moeketsi Mosola
Transfers at Social Development and Human Settlements

Pakiso Lebone, acting head of department at Provincial Treasury, had not responded by the time of publication to questions regarding the total amount spent on Rampai Attorneys or whether any process to recover the money is currently underway.

StepUp SA News will continue to seek answers from the relevant authorities on whether the PSC recommendations have been implemented and, if not, why they remain outstanding.

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