DOC bows to investigation pressure

Johannesburg, 08 Nov 2007

The Department of Communications (DOC) has agreed to meet with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the state law advisors over findings of irregular appointments.

The move is a marked change from last month`s statement from the department that it would not follow the PSC`s 2005 recommendations. At the time, communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri told Parliament the commission`s findings were incorrect.

However, Democratic Alliance spokesman on communications Dene Smuts says the department was simply ignoring the report.

"We are very pleased that the department is finally taking the PSC seriously and agreeing to take the matter forward," she says.

Smuts adds the party will not be satisfied until it is certain that the matter has been dealt with fully.

"Obviously, we will not be able to comment on the conditions at the communications department until we see the reports from these meetings. However, if these reports are not satisfactory, we will lobby Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Communications to ask public service and administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi to institute her own investigation."

Substantive findings

The discussions with the PSC and the state law advisors are expected to focus on the PSC`s 2005 findings of "sufficient proof" of irregular appointments at the department.

In this report, the PSC concluded the appointment of four communications staffers had been inappropriate and required corrective action.

It found that one employee did not meet the basic requirements of the position. Two others were found to be appointed at salary levels higher than advertised. A fourth employee`s appointment required further investigation by the state law advisor.

Haunted by allegations

Earlier this year, ITWeb exclusively reported that a whistle-blower was making further allegations surrounding the department`s recruitment processes.

In a detailed letter to Fraser-Moleketi, PSC, Parliament`s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, public prosecutions, the auditor-general and the presidency, the whistle-blower alleged a senior communications executive was involved in fraud and job piracy.

The whistle-blower explained job piracy is the practice of "fraud relating to recruitment and the allocation of tenders relating to projects within the HR department".

However, these allegations are unlikely to feature in the department`s newly-agreed to discussions, says Smuts.

"The whistle-blower`s allegations will probably remain in the background until the 2005 investigation is concluded. At this stage, I am not sure how they are or will be handled."

Communications spokesman Albi Modise this morning confirmed the department will meet with the PSC, but declined to comment further.