Question NW1504 to the Minister of Social Development
04 June 2021 - NW1504
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Social Development
Whether her department has been informed of the questions surrounding the qualifications of the newly-appointed North West Social Development Head of Department; if not, why not; if so, (a) has her department verified the qualifications, (b) how was the specified appointment made and (c) was due process followed during the appointment process?
Reply:
No, this matter falls under the purview of the Premier who is the Executing Authority responsible for the appointment at this level in the Province.
a) Qualifications of candidates are verified by the South African Qualifications Authority and I am advised by the Province that this was done as part of the recruitment process.
b) The appointment was made by the Premier following concurrence received from the Minister of Public Service and Administration.
c) The prescribed recruitment and selection processes for the appointment of the Head of Department was followed, as advised by the Provincial Department of Social Development.
In terms of the Public Service Act, 1994 and the 2016 Public Service Regulations the authority for the appointment of Heads of Department (HODs) at the provincial sphere of government rests with the relevant Premiers. In the case of the North West Provincial Administration, which is under section 100 of the Constitution, 1996 administration, the Premier, Prof. Job Mokgoro agreed in terms a protocol governing the Section 100 (1) (b) intervention in the Office of the Premier, that all of his administrative decisions will be subject to concurrence by the Minister for the Public Service and Administration (MPSA), before approval. This includes decisions to appoint HODs. Under normal circumstances, these decisions are not subject to consultation with Ministers at the national sphere of government, or Cabinet, as the case would be for the appointment for HODs at the national sphere of Government.