The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), is "deeply outraged" about how many directors-general have been fired, suspended, resigned in questionable circumstances or threatened to resign in the past 18 months. The public sector union was reacting to the dismissal of Communications Director-General Mamodupi Mohlala by Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda on Friday after "some troubling and discomforting reports" of the minister's alleged interference in the issuing of tenders in the department.
Nehawu general secretary Fikile Majola said the "centre does not hold", intimated that President Jacob Zuma must lead and pointed out that the directors-general were in a state of flux, which bode ill for service delivery. "We expect better answers and compelling reasons about this (Mohlala) dismissal than the tired old line of 'broken trust' because we want to know what broke the trust," said Majola.
The past 18 months had seen the departure of directors-general Njabulo Nduli, Pam Yako, Jimmy Manyi, Thozi Gwanya, Portia Molefe, Vuyi Nxasana and Mohlala.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson told senior officials in the department this week that Nduli had gone on leave, a month after she criticised her director-general in Parliament for the department's regular production of substandard briefing documents. While sources said Nduli would not return, the ministry had refused to confirm or deny the termination of her contract. Dr Moshibudi Rampedi, who allegedly applied for a Food and Agriculture Organisation post last month, was appointed acting director-general this week.
Water Affairs Director-General Pam Yako has been on suspension for a year since being placed on special leave by Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica pending the outcome of an investigation of alleged procurement irregularities. The auditor-general has since found that a contract with a service provider for information technology services was extended "on numerous occasions" to 49 months, and grew in value by 587 percent in the process to more than R1-billion. The extensions contravened the department's procurement and delegation of authority regulations.
Labour Director-General Jimmy Manyi was suspended by Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana recently, apparently because of comments he made during an official meeting with Norway's ambassador to South Africa Tor Christian-Hilda. Soon before his suspension, Mdlalana had apparently told Manyi to choose between his job as director-general and the presidency of the Black Management Forum.
Land Reform Director-General Thozi Gwanya's departure from his post at the end of this month was confirmed by Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti this week. The confirmation that Gwanya's contract had been "redetermined" came after initial denials by the department.
Public Enterprises Director-General Portia Molefe resigned in September. It is unclear why she left.
November saw the ousting of acting Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities Director-General Vuyi Nxasana by Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, apparently after a breakdown in the relationship between her and the minister who was alleged to be loath to make crucial decisions, act on proposals or stick to ministerial handbook guidelines.
Nehawu said it found the situation "troubling, unsustainable and unacceptable", adding that it did not bode well for the stability of governance and service delivery. "The merits and demerits of these suspensions, resignations and dismissals aside, the message that comes out is that the centre is not holding in our government and that is a disturbing state of affairs," said Majola. "The biggest casualties of this chaotic situation is the citizens of this country who expect, and have been promised, service delivery... this presents a challenge when it comes to the implementation of the five identified priorities," said Majola. He emphasised that the country could ill afford the leadership vacuum created by the absence and the uncertainty surrounding these top officials because it demoralised the entire workforce in the departments and created uncertainty and instability. "Nehawu calls on the government to act swiftly in addressing this unacceptable situation of government departments that operate without stable leadership and also investigate the reasons that led to this spate of resignations and dismissals. "Service delivery should be a priority for all of us and... the government needs to start providing clear decisive leadership before it's too late," said Majola.
Source: IoL
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