Public Service Commission investigating senior government officials’ qualifications

The Public Service Commission (PSC) says it is looking into senior government officials in order to verify their qualifications.

PSC chairperson, Somadoda Fikeni confirmed the investigation in a letter to the Democratic Alliance (DA).

This after acting Public Service and Administration Minister, Thulas Nxesi in May revealed that almost 26% of public servants employed in senior management did not have the proper qualifications for the positions they occupy.

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In a written reply to the DA, Nxesi highlighted that 2 412 of 9 309 senior managers in the public service did not have the qualifications reflected on the personnel and salaries management system (Persal).

As of August 2022, the number since gone down to 2 364, with 1 211 of these senior managers being employed in the national government and 1 153 in provinces across the country.

‘Many weaknesses in the system’

Speaking to SAfm on Thursday, Fikeni explained that many of these senior officials were older and have climbed up the career ladder.

“You will find that these [officials] are mainly between the age of 50 and 65 years. [This] means some might have been in the service for a longer period and seem to have progressed within the system without the requisite qualifications,” he said.

“Others it’s merely decentralisation of recruitment which we have picked up have many challenges. Some of these are brought as grievance to the PSC itself and we realised that people do not always observe the requirements, therefore, there are many weaknesses in the system which has allowed for people to try and override the requisite experience and qualifications that is needed,” Fikeni continued.

He indicated that the PSC has approached the Department of Public Service and Administration to get the latest figures of senior managers without qualifications.

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“These numbers are quite concerning and the Public Service Minister had cited the latest but these also need to be updated as 2 000.

“It is for that reason that we have approached the department to give us a breakdown and an action plan as to how the country is going to deal with this. It is important for the National School of Government in terms of training and is equally important for the professionalisation of public service,” the PSC chair said.

In December last year, then Public Service and Administration Minister Ayanda Dlodlo said the department wouldn’t investigate how senior managers were appointed to government jobs without the required qualifications.

Dlodlo insisted at the time that many of the managers were appointed before Public Service Regulations, which introduced new qualification requirements, came into effect in 2016.

Currently, 1 819 senior managers were appointed before the regulations were instituted.

Draft legislation

Fikeni further noted the importance of government’s efforts to institutionalise professionalisation of the public service through new legislation.

At this stage, two key initiatives to build state capability through professionalisation of the public service are under way.

One is the Public Service Act Amendment Bill that is before Parliament, while the other is the draft Public Service Commission Bill, which is yet to be tabled.

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