Question NW2639 to the Minister of Public Works
29 September 2017 - NW2639
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of Public Works
Whether, with reference to the Public Service Vacancy Circular No 32 of 2017, where his department advertised a vacancy for Deputy Director: Intergovernmental Relations (Post 32/101 Ref 2017/42), stating that potential candidates only require a Matric certificate and no specific managerial experience, the requirements for the specified position are in line with his department’s guidelines regarding the appointment to that level of employment; if not, how will his department remedy the situation; if so, what are the current guidelines that his department uses for the appointment of Deputy Directors in terms of (a) tertiary qualification/s, (b) general work experience, (c) managerial experience and (d) experience in the field?
Reply:
As per the initial written response of the Director-General addressed to Ms D Kohler, MP on the same matter, the Department advertised the position of Deputy Director: Intergovernmental Relations (Ref: 2017/47) with relaxed minimum appointment requirements. The advertisement of the position with relaxed qualifications followed internal approval processes after the Department sort and received a legal opinion from counsel who was briefed through State Attorney in relation to an employee who is in possession of matric certificate with more than 10 years’ experience at a Deputy Director level within Intergovernmental Relations unit. The legal opinion advised the Department to absorb the employee into a permanent employment on the basis of an established case of a reasonable expectation for a permanent appointment given the period in which the position was renewed over the years
Although counsel has advised the Department to absorb the employee without following recruitment processes, an option which is permissible in law, the Department deemed it necessary to promote competition and advertise the position with relaxed minimum appointments in order to accommodate the employee in question. The relaxation of qualifications is meant to create an opportunity for the employee to apply and compete with others for the position without a guarantee of an employment.
The Department has however abandoned the process of filling the position with relaxed qualifications.