Question NW3062 to the Minister of Finance
19 December 2018 - NW3062
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Finance
(1)Whether the SA Revenue Service (Sars) conducted any due diligence investigations to check the qualifications of a certain person (name furnished) prior to appointing the specified person to the specified position; if not, why was due diligence not conducted; if so, (2) whether Sars found any inaccuracies; if so, what (a) are the relevant details and (b) action was taken to correct the person’s qualifications for the specified position?
Reply:
1. A certain person (name furnished) was recruited through the utilization of services of an employment agency; she commenced her duties as a Chief Officer - DIST at SARS on May 1, 2017. As per the recruitment policy of SARS in July 2016, prior her appointment a due diligence on her qualifications as indicated on her CV was conducted. A due diligence was conducted on the following qualifications prior her appointment and were Verified:
- Diploma in Practical Accounting, Damelin, 1996
- Diploma in Bookkeeping, Damelin, 1996
- Diploma in Business Organization & Management, Damelin, 1997
- Diploma in Personnel Training and Management, Damelin, 1997
- Masters of Business Administration, University of North West, 2004
A due diligence was not conducted on the following foreign qualifications prior her appointment:
6. General Certificate of Education. University of Cambridge, 1985
7. Diploma in Information Technology, Square one, Data processing College, 1987.
SARS places responsibility for verification of Foreign Qualifications on the applicant through the South African Qualifications Authority and employment is conditional to these verifications.
2. Whether SARS found any inaccuracies; if so, what (a) are the relevant details and (b) action was taken to correct the person’s qualifications for the specified position?
- The General Certificate of Education issued by the University of Cambridge has been evaluated to be equivalent to NQF level 3 Intermediate Certificate by the South African Qualifications Authority. For ease of understanding the NQF level 3 Intermediate Certificate is equivalent to Grade 11 in the South African context. (Reference, SAQA National Qualifications Framework).
- With regards to the Diploma in Information Technology issued by Square one, Data processing College, the employee has not provided SARS with an evaluation result by SAQA of this qualification.
- The matter of the Employee’s qualifications has not yet been concluded as the employee is currently on an extended sick leave.
__