The reported defiance of a directive of Premier Stan Mathabatha to the MECs of Sport, Arts and Culture as well as Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure regarding the transfer of senior staff in top positions was raised with Mowaneng this week for urgent intervention.
It was learnt that the directive from the highest office, dated 2 April this year, was imposed on all MECs in the provincial government. Sources expressed the belief that the MECs have postponed taking action on the matter until after next week’s elections.
On 21 March this year Polokwane Observer reported on the seemingly haphazard re-arrangement of 14 senior managers in the top echelons of the two departments, respectively holding the positions of chief directors and directors.
Then it was reported that four directors in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture as well as ten chief directors and directors in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure were affected. At the time it was claimed that the transfers of the officials were irregular, unfair, done without prior consultation and in instances pertaining to non-existent posts. For purposes of the story a source highlighted that the initial order relating to the officials in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture transferred the employees to their new positions to start work on a calendar Sunday.
This week Polokwane Observer was handed copies of both the Premier’s letter to Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Thandi Moraka of 2 April this year as well as correspondence from three of four of the affected officials in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture requesting Director-General Nape Nchabeleng’s assistance in the matter. It was confirmed to have been forwarded to Nchabeleng’s office following a meeting between him and the three affected directors in the department on Tuesday.
In his letter to Moraka, Mathabatha referred to his office having received letters of complaint from departmental staff members regarding their transfers. He continued to indicate that in giving effect to an Executive Council (Exco) directive on the recruitment and selection of Senior Management Service (SMS) members during this phase of the provincial administration transition, she was requested to put in abeyance the process of staff transfers, in particular those who did not consent or refused to be transferred.
In the letter directed to Nchabeleng, the Directors of Library and Archives, Communications, Information Technology (IT) and Events as well as Museums and Heritage in the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture requested intervention by enforcing the MEC to reverse the decision to transfer the three officials to different districts to posts that were not existing in the departmental structure.
“We are unable to do our day-to-day work as per our performance agreement(s), and this has a negative impact on service delivery in our communities.” It was established that annual performance agreements with the officials had to be signed off on Tuesday.
Department of Sport, Arts and Culture acting Spokesperson Jermina Kaka and Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure Spokesperson, Joshua Kwapa were contacted for comment but the matter was handled by Mathabatha’s spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha. He confirmed yesterday (Wednesday) that the Office of the Premier received a letter from the three affected directors at the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. He added that the contents of the letter are being handled as per the rules of the Public Administration Management Act.
Story:
YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
