The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has provided clarification on the operational challenges the government is facing in recruiting staff using its Z83 application for employment form.

Acting DPSA Director-General Willie Vukela said that in the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, the department surveyed other government departments to identify the difficulties encountered when completing the Z83 form.

According to Vukela, the survey revealed that the form was applied inconsistently across the public service.

He said it highlighted challenges related to the instructions for filling out the form and addressing specific questions.

The DPSA has advised government departments to enhance administrative efficiency and ensure the fair consideration of suitably qualified applicants.

According to the department, the Z83 form must not be used in isolation during the selection process, and selection committees must refer to applicants’ CVs for additional relevant information.

Vukela said applicants must answer the questions related to the conditions that prevent reappointment in public service.

”Departments are reminded to comply with the directives and circulars issued by the DPSA on the implementation of benchmark job descriptions for the filling of posts in provincial Treasuries and other posts in general,” he said.

In the selection process, key control measures are compliance with job requirements, and departments must ensure that all job advertisements adhere strictly to the benchmarked job descriptions.

Vukela warned that expenditures incurred due to non-compliant external advertisements will prompt the enforcement of accountability measures.

Last month, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education received complaints about the process of filling a number of vacancies advertised late last year.

Head of department Nkosinathi Ngcobo halted the process and indicated that they were made aware of growing concerns about the flouting of the sifting processes as outlined in a procedure manual for the implementation of a vacancy circular issued in 2024.

”The halting of selection processes applies to posts that are still at the sifting and short-listing stages by the date of issuing of this circular (February 21). The inconvenience caused by the circular is highly regretted,” Ngcobo said.

He further explained: ”Some of the issues that have been brought to the attention of the department in relation to the exclusion of applications without following the procedure.”

During the process, applications were sifted out on the basis that the applicants used the old Z83 form, that applicants initialled the Z83 form electronically, and that applicants who are South Africans did not write a passport number.

In addition, Ngcobo said in the process, the department was informed that in some instances, unions were not invited to observe these processes.

He then issued a directive to all officials responsible for these processes to ensure that applications must not be sifted out based on the fact that the applicant has used the old Z83 form.

Ngcobo said applications must not be sifted out based on the fact that the applicant initialled the Z83 form electronically and that applicants who are South Africans did not provide passport numbers.

He ordered that the process be verified before they resume and that school governing bodies and interviewing committees submit all recommendations to the department on or before Thursday, March 20.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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