Dr Somadoda Fikeni gives the keynote address during a SALGA conference aimed at deepening local democracy and inclusive governance held in Johannesburg, 14 November 2016. Picture: Refilwe Modise
Dr Somadoda Fikeni has appoint commissioner of the Public Service Commission (PSC) on a five-year office term by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa has made this appointment in terms of Section 196(7)(a), read with Section 196(10) of the Constitution according to acting spokesperson to the president, Tyrone Seale.
Fikeni welcomed the announcement, saying he is “humbled and touched”.
“I will be joining the PSC after a multi-party parliamentary process selected and recommended me and thereafter the president appointed me. I’m humbled and touched by positive remarks received across society. Working as part of a collective I’ll be guided by the constitution. Integrity and honesty is key,” he said on Twitter.
Background
Dr Fikeni hails from Lugelweni village in the Alfred Nzo District of the Eastern Cape.
He acquired his BA and BA Honours in politics and social sciences from the then University of Transkei, currently known as Walter Sisulu University.
He also studied peace and political studies programme at McMaster University in Canada and obtained his MA in International Politics and Comparative Development at Queens University, also in Canada.
He went on to obtain his Doctoral Studies or PhD in Comparative Politics and Public Policy Analysis at Michigan State University in the USA.
His areas of expertise are policy analysis, comparative politics, research methodology, international politics, political economy and heritage.
He is an author, researcher, public speaker and commentator on a range of local and global political, social and heritage as well as economic issues.
He held various management and leadership positions which include being the merger manager at the University of Transkei, founding COO and Heritage Manager for the National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC).
Dr Fikeni is also an associate professor to the Unisa Thabo Mbeki School of Public and International Affairs.
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