Call for probe into Tshwane application forms scandal

City of Tshwane manager Moeketsi Mosola has called for an urgent internal investigation into the transportation of application forms for vacant positions following the circulation of pictures on social media showing the forms being packed in the back of an open bakkie before delivery.

Mosola said application forms in the circulating pictures were being packed at the city’s offices in Temba, Region 2, to be transported to the city’s recruitment office’s One-Stop Centre at Bothongo Plaza West in the CBD.

Mosola said: “The circulating pictures are disturbing as they give an impression that this is how we handle sensitive and confidential information of job-seekers. I have called for an urgent investigation into this matter because this is not how we conduct our business.

“This is an isolated incident that we are treating with the urgency it deserves and will soon report to the public on the outcome of our investigation.”

Mosola said the city recently advertised 581 operational posts, including those of artisan assistants, with the aim of boosting its workforce, and improve service delivery.

The closing date for the submission of the application forms was supposed to have been yesterday, but the city manager decided to extend the closing date to April 9 due to the high volume of applications received.

Yesterday there were long queues at Bothongo Plaza from applicants desperate to meet the submission deadline.

Mosola said when the city became aware of the queues at some of the regional offices and at Bothongo Plaza, they deployed extra personnel to help with the processing of applications.

“We had introduced the e-recruitment system previously to avoid queuing at our offices. However, we recently experienced some technical glitches with the system and are currently in the process of refining it to enable it to work optimally,” he said.

He has prioritised the filling of administrative posts to enable personnel to respond quickly and speedily to service delivery interruptions and to complaints from irate customers.

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