DA calls for probe after PSC boss allegedly hired his mistress as ethics officer

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a probe after the director-general (DG) in the Public Service Commission (PSC) allegedly appointed a “mistress” as an ethics officer.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DA’s MP Leon Schreiber said his party was “deeply angered and disappointed” that the DG, Dovhani Colbert Mamphiswana, allegedly chaired a panel that appointed the mother of his child to the position of Chief Director for Ethics at the PSC.

“Advocate Richard Sizani, the chair of the commission, must take immediate and decisive action to investigate these allegations. If the allegations are proven to be true, President [Cyril] Ramaphosa and his cabinet – which has the power to appoint and fire the director-general of the PSC – must make an example out of him,” Schreiber’s statement reads.

READ MORE: Whistleblower alleges PSC director-general appointed his mistress as chief director

Schreiber said Mamphiswana’s alleged failure to recuse himself from the appointment process despite “his glaring conflict of interest” has plunged the PSC into a crisis of credibility.

“The commission is not ‘just another’ government agency – it is the watchdog over the entire public service and is supposed to enforce and abide by the absolute highest standards of ethics. It is vital that the government acts immediately to protect the PSC from the damage unleashed through Mamphiswana’s alleged misdeeds,” Schreiber said.

The DA MP pointed out that it was recently reported that Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize appointed his corruption-accused niece as chief of staff and that Minister of Communications Stell Ndabeni-Abrahams allegedly used taxpayers’ money to celebrate her wedding anniversary in Switzerland and New York.

This, Schreiber said, pointed towards the ANC’s “feeding frenzy” being more “visibly accelerated” as South Africa “continues to collapse”.

“Meanwhile, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu also confirmed that she appointed the disgraced Menzi Simelane and Mo Shaik as advisers.”

The PSC is supposed to be a bulwark against these kinds of disgraceful, nepotistic and corrupt appointments, the DA MP said.

“However, Mamphiswana’s alleged conduct threatens to completely destroy the PSC’s ability to credibly intervene in these abuses.

“It is also important to note that, under the PSC’s current legal framework, the director-general of the PSC is not appointed by the commission. Instead, Mamphiswana was appointed by Jacob Zuma and his cabinet. Not only does this rob the PSC of the power to appoint its own DG and manage its own affairs, but it also means that Mamphiswana reports to the cabinet instead of to the commission. This arrangement blatantly undermines the independence of the PSC by effectively giving the cabinet control over the administrative affairs – including the budget – of the commission.

“The independence of the PSC should be sacrosanct. The allegations against Mamphiswana serves to confirm that it is time to radically restructure the PSC by making it wholly independent from the government. To this end, the DA will soon table our Professional Public Service Bill, which will take away the cabinet’s power to appoint the director-general of the PSC. We call on all other parties in Parliament to heed the danger posed to the entire state by a compromised PSC, and to support our legislation.”

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