Commission for Gender Equality vacancies: shortlisting

Meeting report

The Chairperson said that the candidates would be called out in numbers, and the staff would consolidate those numbers and provide a final list of all the people that had been considered for shortlisting. This would be the list that would be recommended, and it would be adopted. This would be the final list that would be published for public comments, a process which would run from 30 August until 16tSeptember. The process was two-fold – there must be submissions to Human Resources (HR) for the verification of qualifications, and to the State Security Agency (SSA) for the screening of the candidates.

Yesterday, Mr L Mphithi (DA) asked a question about how the Committee dealt with public comments, and this was explained yesterday by Dr Herman Tembe, Office of Institutions Supporting Democracy (OISD). One could assume that Members were by now informed about the process, and it should be a smooth process going forward. Members ought to have gone through the criteria as well. All races would be represented -- if not, the list would be relooked to ensure that the process was inclusive. The Committee would also welcome LGBTQI applicants, disability groups and vulnerable groups.

In provinces, the Committee would consider shortlisting applicants from rural areas in its list. There was going to be a total list of 24 candidates to be considered for shortlisting. The consolidation would be up to 24 candidates at the end of the shortlisting of the candidates by Members. All the above-mentioned categories must be included, and provinces must all be represented. Continuity was important, so all current members would also be considered as candidates, and subjected to the same process as every other candidate.

Candidate nominations by Members

The Chairperson nominated the following candidates 115, 162, 112, 122, 167, 124, 125, 5, 72, 120, 40, 137, 134, 50, 84, 35, 27, 166 and 160.

Ms A Hlongo (ANC) suggested candidates: 162, 115, 84, 166, 137, 40, 129, 84, 166, 137, 129, 40, 101, 35 and 48.

Ms C Phiri (ANC) suggested the following candidates: 72, 5, 124, 104, 51, 50, 130, 112, 122, 167, 35, 84, 27, 120, 40, 125, 160, 166, 29 and 88.

Ms F Masiko (ANC) nominated these candidates: 112, 162, 130, 50, 88, 27, 166, 160, 134, 104, 115, 72, 122, 124, 5, 29, 51 and 120.

Ms B Marekwa (ANC) suggested these candidates: 120, 11, 88, 115, 162, 15, 130, 166, 38, 40, 50, 137, 51, 27, 72, 5, 112 and 122.

Mr L Mphithi (DA) suggested candidates: 115, 27, 166, 160, 134, 120, 84, 73, 162, 95, 130, 137, 15, 162, 150 and 156.

Mr S Ngcobo (DA) nominated: 115, 27, 166, 160, 160, 134, 120, 84, 73, 162, 95, 130, 137, 156, 15 and 150.

Ms T Masondo (ANC) suggested candidates: 5, 55, 125, 124, 120, 35, 166, 160, 134, 84, 115, 162, 140, 50 and 51.

Ms N Hlonyana (EFF) suggested the following candidates: 29, 27 and 84.  

The support team would now consolidate the numbers to 24.

The Committee was told that the consolidated numbers included 33 candidates who were nominated, with one duplication. The candidates who received the most nominations, all the way to those who received the least, were ranked. Of the top 21 candidates that were nominated, 19 were females, with one transgender person and two males. Regarding race, there were 16 Africans, three whites, one coloured and one Asian.

The geographical spread of the candidates indicated that 12 candidates came from Gauteng. The Western Cape and Limpopo had two candidates each, while the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal had one candidate each.

The Chairperson suggested that Members relook at the geographical spread of the candidates, and advised that there was no nominated candidate from the Free State. She suggested that the nomination from that province should be of coloured ethnicity.

Ms Masiko suggested that the candidates with one nomination should not be considered for shortlisting, but the candidates who scored two nominations should make up the 24 required, as there were only 21 top nominations – short of three.

Mr Mphithi further nominated candidates 73 and 95 for inclusion.

Ms Masiko completed the list, with the suggestion of candidate 137 from the Western Cape.

The candidate’s list was then completed. Members adopted it without any objections.

The Chairperson reiterated that the 24 candidates would be subject to publication of their curricula vitae (CVs) on the parliamentary website and screening by the SSA. This would also include the verification process of their qualifications. Each candidate would be provided with a form that they must consent to, for the screening and verification processes required. Sensitive personal information and details would be struck out of all the CVs that would be published.

Once the public comments had been received, the Committee would deliberate on them. Interviews would commence on 21 and/or 22 September.

The Chairperson said the Committee would meet again soon for a discussion and deliberation on the questions, but Members were welcome to also ask their questions.

Committee minutes

The Committee considered and adopted the minutes of 3 and 7 June without any substantive amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.

NOTE: Subsequent to the meeting, the following shortlisted names were published:
Here below are the 24 candidates that were shortlisted:
Adv Thando Gumede  
Ms Pontsho Pilane
Ms Candice Chirwa
Ms Olave Ntshabiseng Sepanya Mogale
Mr Itumeleng Gareth Mmusi
Dr Ntshabiseng Moleko
Ms Bernadine Bachair
Ms Mulalo Nemataheni
Ms Makosha Emily Maditsi
Leonashia Leigh-Ann van der Merwe 
 Ms Lebogang Fataha
 Ms Santel Wilhelmina Van Zyl
 Ms Theresa Eulenda Mabusela
 Ms Pulani Noko Thobejane
 Mr Bongani Glenton Ngomane
 Ms Lindiwe Khonjelwayo
 Ms Sarah Charity Mokwebo
 Ms Gretta Nonhlanhla Govender
 Ms Fundiswa Barbara Skweyiya-Gushu
 Ms Magdalene Moonsamy
 Ms Nokuthula Caritus Mazibuko
 Ms Joy Janita Lange
 Ms Leelambal Prabashni Subrayan Naidoo
 Ms Zoleka Susan Ponoane