National Public Service Commission vacancies: Shortlisting procedures

Meeting report

National Public Service Commission: Vacancies for Commissioners and shortlisting procedures
The Chairperson stated that there were 540 applications received for the three vacancies of Commissioners for the National Public Service Commission.

Ms A Dreyer (DA) stated that there was a mammoth task ahead of the Committee in dealing with these nominations.  She had not been able to go through all of the applications, since there were so many. She suggested that the Committee ask its researchers to help sort through the applications.

Mr A Williams (ANC) agreed that it would be acceptable for the Committee to ask its researchers to check that applicants had the right qualifications, but stressed that the final selection lay with the Committee Members themselves.

Ms F Bikani (ANC) stated that it was necessary for the Members to agree on the necessary criteria that candidates would need, in order to be considered. She agreed that using Committee researchers would allow the process to move forward faster.

Ms Dreyer confirmed that it was the Committee’s responsibility to select the candidates. She also thought that Members needed guidelines on what they should require of applicants. She suggested that the Committee seek guidance from the outgoing Chairperson of the Public Service Commission to get a better understanding of what were the necessary criteria.

The Chairperson stated that it was the Committee’s task to select the candidates. She asked Members to refer back to guiding documents that specified the criteria that applicants needed to fulfill. If the Committee followed the specified criteria, it would make the process easier. She asked Members to note applicants’ name, age, province, gender, race and qualifications.

Ms Dreyer stated that Members had already received a preliminary indication of potential shortlisted candidates. She did not know if this list was given by the Parliamentary researchers.

Ms L Odendaal (COPE) was deeply concerned about the selection process, commenting that the current procedure was very time consuming, and needed to be speeded up. She noted that there were very few women who were qualified for the positions. However, four women, in her opinion, had the potential to fill the positions. She suggested that the Committee should re-advertise if Members found that there were not enough female applicants.

The Chairperson responded that the Committee had already advertised to the public twice. There were only three positions available, so it would be acceptable if there were four potential women so far identified.

Ms Bikani stated that the previous Portfolio Committee must have had criteria when interviewing candidates. She suggested again that this Committee should refer back to what the previous Committee had done.

 Ms Dreyer asked if Ms Odendaal could provide clarity on ways to speed up the selection process.

Ms Odendaal stated that Parliament could look at software that would sort through applications, based on qualifications needed.

The Chairperson suggested that the Committee, after conducting the interviews, should submit a report on possible improvements to parliamentary systems.

Ms P Tshwete (ANC) stated that in the future, all advertisements needed to specify what level of qualification was required, to ensure that fewer applications were received. She also suggested that the Committee should decide on the number of candidates to be interviewed.

Mr Williams suggested that the Committee should interview a maximum of nine candidates.

The Chairperson noted that other Members agreed with Mr Williams’ suggestion.

Ms Tshwete stated that Members must meet to agree on who the shortlisted candidates were, before the date of the interviews.

Ms Dreyer again suggested that the Committee researchers be asked to assist in reducing the 540 applications to a more manageable number.

Mr Williams believed that Members did not have the function of changing the requirements, and believed that Members themselves would have to sort through all 540 applications.

Ms Bikani thought the Committee needed to decide on the criteria to be used for the selection.

The Chairperson suggested that Members should discuss the shortlisting on Friday 10 July, after meeting with the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA).

Ms Tshwete made another suggestion that Members meet to discuss the applications on Monday 13 July.

The Chairperson stated that 13 July was the constituency day, making it difficult for Members to meet.

Members agreed to meet on 10 July, as suggested by the Chairperson.

Ms Odendaal stated that she was under the impression that the shortlisting had to be completed today.

The Chairperson stated that some Members had not been able to compile their shortlists, since the applications received on the last day also had to be included.

Ms Tshwete warned that many sensitive issues would be discussed in the interviews, and suggested that these meetings be closed. She said that she had almost completed her own shortlist, and it would be useful to see Ms Odendaal’s shortlist, to which Ms Odendaal agreed.

Ms Dreyer noted that any shortlist would be helpful, including the preliminary one.

The Chairperson stated that Members could use the preliminary shortlist and just add to it.

Ms Tshwete noted that Ms Odendaal’s list was very similar to the preliminary list.

The meeting was adjourned.