The Public Service Commission (PSC) is aiming to complete a two-phased investigation into senior management service personnel without qualifications by the end of December.
This was revealed by PSC chairperson Professor Somadoda Fikeni in his response in writing to a request from DA MP Mimmy Gondwe.
In April, Public Service and Administration Minister Noxolo Kiviet revealed in a response to parliamentary questions that in terms of Persal records there were 1874 senior managers who had no qualifications for the positions they occupied as at March.
Kiviet said according to the 2016 directive on minimum requirements for appointment of SMS members, directors and chief directors should have an undergraduate qualification on NQF Level 7.
Deputy director-generals and heads of departments should have an undergraduate qualification and a postgraduate qualification on NQF Level 8.
Kiviet also said her department was to investigate appointments made after 2016, and that information obtained indicated that some departments were not updating their information on Persal even when senior managers were in compliance with minimum requirements.
At a national level, 634 senior managers were appointed before 2016 and 211 appointed after August 2016.
At the provincial level 738 senior managers were appointed before 2016 and 291 after August 2016.
In his letter to Gondwe, Fikeni said the PSC started working on the national departments’ data received from the Department of Public Service and Administration as of March.
“A circular has been issued to all national and provincial directors-general for the submission of data,” he said.
Phase one of the investigation will focus on the national departments’ analysis and phase two will deal with provincial data analysis.
“Departments have been given the deadline of July 31 to submit the required (data) and the draft report will still be completed by the end of October for national departments whereas the provincial departments’ report will be completed by the end of December,” he said.
“This approach will provide an opportunity for the PSC to comprehensively validate data received on the qualification of senior managers in the public service in order to provide an accurate picture to Parliament and other stakeholders,” Fikeni added.
Gondwe said the DA welcomed the latest update by the PSC to comprehensively validate the data it will receive from government departments.
“(The DA) hopes that the picture that will emerge from this crucial investigation by the PSC, will not only be an accurate one, but also one that will compel the PSC to provide concrete and finite recommendations that will address the persistent issue of qualifications in senior positions within the public service,” she said.
Cape Times