MEMBERS of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s executive must complete hiring staff in their offices by July 31 but have to ensure recruitment is based on the availability of funds as the government seeks to contain costs.
The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has encouraged incoming executive authorities (ministers) and their deputies of the government of national unity to utilise existing staff until the current employees’ contracts end.
“New staff can be held (appointed) additionally to the establishment while current staff are still in office for a smooth transition and handover.
“The employees additional to the establishment will not be eligible for any allowances as they are not in the posts,” DPSA director-general Yoliswa Makhasi wrote in a circular on the appointment of staff in the offices of the executive authorities last Thursday.
She indicated that the temporary arrangement’s aims were to support and facilitate the process during the transition period and would cease immediately once new employees are appointed on or before July 31.
”In preparation for the departure of the previous supporting staff, executive authorities should manage the transition period by completing all new appointment processes by July 31, 2024. This will ensure a seamless handover, with incoming officials efficiently replacing outgoing ones, thereby maintaining uninterrupted business continuity,” Makhasi said.
She stressed that all appointments are contingent upon the availability of funds in the department and that this requirement must be fulfilled.
”No employees may be held additional to the establishment of the office of an executive authority, deputy president or a deputy minister from August 1, 2024. This provision does not apply to any vacant posts, as all vacant posts shall follow regulation 66 (of the Public Service Regulations 2016),” Makhasi said.
Regulation 66 governs the filling of posts in the offices of the deputy president, ministers, and their deputies.
The deputy president, ministers, and deputy ministers may fill positions in their offices without either advertising them or convening selection panels, and these will terminate at the end of the month after the end of their terms.
Secondment is not disallowed, but employees in politicians’ offices shall not be transferred within a department or to another.
Despite not being required to convene selection panels or advertise the positions, the offices of the deputy president, ministers, and their deputies must ensure that the appointments consider the inherent requirements of the post and align with employment equity plans.
For candidates applying for posts from salary level nine, which have salaries between R440 000 and about R530 000 a year among Public Service Act appointees not covered by the government’s occupation specific dispensation, the understanding of the relevant departments’ mandates, ability to identify problems, find innovative solutions, and work in a team must also be taken into account.
The latest available guide for members of the executive, which replaced the ministerial handbook in November 2022 after being approved by Ramaphosa, provides for private offices of ministers to have 14 members of staff, 12 for premiers and 10 each for deputy ministers and MECs.
In addition, ministers and premiers have access to special advisors, which are limited to two each unless the Cabinet or provincial executive council approves a higher number of up to two additional full-time advisors due to work requirements.
Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile may appoint as many special advisors as they see fit, but the Cabinet may reduce the number that ministers and premiers may employ.
Advisors appointed by ministers and premiers may be utilised by deputy ministers and MECs for specific tasks by arrangement with the minister or premier concerned, and only South African citizens are allowed to hold these positions and requests to deviate from this requirement must be submitted to Ramaphosa for approval.
Full time special advisors who work 40 hours per week earn between R1.2 million and R2.55m depending on the compensation level determined based on whether the advisor enjoys noticeable national recognition as a competent expert or is a competent expert at national level, at national and to some degree international level or at national and international level and to appoint and retain persons with very high level and/or scarce skills.
The DPSA has maintained that the primary requirement is that appointments in the offices of members of the executive are filled by individuals who are suitably qualified and meet all the job specifications.
Other requirements include completion of a pre-entry programme (or Nyukela certificate) for positions graded as part of the public service’s senior management service (director, chief director, deputy director-general and director-general/head of department) at the National School of Government.
Pre-screening primarily focused on verification of qualifications, where only the highest qualification of each candidate is verified, and criminal records and citizenship checks, which must be prioritised to ensure that they are completed before being appointed.
The politicians’ offices are also required to conduct mandatory competency assessments, which must be completed within two days, results obtained within three days and collaborate closely with the 11 listed service providers to ensure the entire process is completed within five days.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za