More than 30 key positions empty
Some 37 key positions in provincial government are currently vacant, with some of these being vacant since the beginning of 2014.
POLOKWANE – Some 37 key positions in provincial government are currently vacant, with some of these being vacant since the beginning of 2014.
This was confirmed in a parliamentary reply by Premier Stanley Mathabatha in response to a question by the DA, concerning vacancies in public service.
Mathabatha also said several government officials have been moved from one position to another to act in the vacant positions.
DA Limpopo Leader, Jacques Smalle, said the DA is waiting for a response from the Limpopo Legislature Deputy Speaker, Lehlogonolo Masoga, on the DA’s request for a special sitting to debate the vacancy rate in various government departments in the province.
“These key vacant positions include heads of departments, legal administration, media liaison managers, parliamentary officers, managers in fleet services, human resource, labour relations, debts services and traditional affairs officials. Some positions have been vacant since 2014,” Smalle said.
According to Smalle the vacancy rate in Limpopo is at 30,13% across the province.
“This is the highest in the country, according to a report to the national parliament’s portfolio committee on Public Service and Administration. Limpopo’s overall vacancies increased from 6,74% to 30,13% between April 2014 and January this year.
“A decline in service delivery to the people is the direct result of vacant positions in provincial departments, who continue to drag their feet in appointing skilled and qualified officials,” Smalle said.
Premier spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha, explained that Mathabatha was only appointed on 18 July 2013 and at the time of his appointment, the province was in the following situation: “The province had accumulated unauthorised expenditure of R2,7 billion and the province had an overdraft of R1,7 billion. There was insufficient cash management across the province; the province was on the verge of running out of cash and would have failed to pay its employees, civil servants like nurses, doctors and social workers.The province was on the verge of running out of cash to pay suppliers and providers of goods and services, there was poor supply chain and contract management.”
Due to all these aspects, national government intervened and several provincial departments were placed under administration.
“These departments could not employ nor transact without such endorsements of administrators.
“It is only in 2014 the administration moved to monitor the province. At the moment the province has proper cash flow management controls and has dealt with unauthorised expenditures.
“Processes are in place to turn around provincial treasury and empower it to do its oversight work. Senior management personnel at Treasury have since been appointed and there are processes in place to strengthen supply chain management controls in the province,” Mathivha said.
