KENNETH MOKGATLHE: Cadre deployment and a lack of candidate screening is costing public service

The recent media spectacle at the North West Development Corporation exposed a lack of security and screening by government authorities, when they were alleged to have hired a Zimbabwean national, Kudawashe Mpofu, to the Chief Financial Officer position, without proper visa documents.

Recently, the corporation's CEO Mojalefa Nale's qualifications were also under scrutiny.

There are numerous other examples.

Towards the end of last year, it was reported that the City of Johannesburg’s Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) appointed an individual without a matric qualification to be part of the JPC board - an entity that oversees the city’s 30,700-odd properties worth more than R8.7 billion.

This person, who was parachuted to the JPC board, had previously only been a tollgate cashier and receptionist.

Still at the City of Joburg, “Dr” Tshepo Mahanuke was axed by the Johannesburg Road Agency Board for having faked his qualifications and overstating his experience.

There have not been consequences against these acts of fraud.

Earlier this year, “Dr” Thabi Leoka made international headlines with reports claiming that she did not have a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics (LSE) as she had previously (mis)represented herself.

Leoka was appointed to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, as well as the committee that advised the Ministry of Finance in 2017 when it reconsidered which basic food products needed to be exempted from value-added tax to meet the poor halfway.

Back to the North West.

Former Social Development’s head of department, Relebohile Makofane, allegedly did not meet the job requirements at Faith Muthambi's ministerial office. In 2019, the Public Service Commission (PSC) made scathing findings against him, however, he was “redeployed” to the North West provincial government.

And then we wonder why the North West in particular, and the South African government in general have not been able to provide quality, competent, and professional service delivery to millions of South Africans.

The collapsing government in the North West is clearly due to incompetent, unqualifying and corrupt individuals who do not seem to know how local or provincial government functions.

What is heartbreaking is the fact that we have qualified young people who are ready to diligently serve their government, but this is made impossible by the African National Congress' (ANC) cadre deployment policy.

It is apparently difficult to gain a managerial role when you do not have a membership or background in the ANC. Consider Nale's case - in his CV, he mentioned his seniority during the struggle in uMkhonto weSizwe, the military wing of the ANC, probably because he understands its vitality in search for a job in an ANC-run government.

It is almost impossible to expect miracles in the public service in terms of its policies, systems, and institutions if such internal weaknesses are not addressed.

Every country in the world invests in its human capital development, which will in turn help create a capable state. And South Africa has enough human capital to achieve this, but there seems to be no political will to.

Many municipalities and provincial departments in the North West, and across South Africa, should undergo a robust skills audit to ensure that they adhere to recommendations of the roles they occupy or wish to occupy.

Everyone who does not qualify to hold public office should go home, and those who are capacitated to serve their government should be employed to turn the public service's image around.