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"A majority of these senior managers, namely 1067 (not 1076) are employed in provincial departments..."

According to data provided by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to the Public Service Commission (PSC), there are currently 1823 senior managers within the public service with no qualifications. A majority of these senior managers, namely 1067 are employed in provincial departments and 756 are employed in national departments.

This information was revealed in a letter dated 15 March 2023, from the PSC to the Democratic Alliance (DA) as part of an update to the DA on the progress made by the PSC in investigating the matter of senior managers within the public service with no qualifications. The PSC launched an investigation into this matter late last year following a request by the DA that it conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their employment in the public service.

In the letter, the PSC further explains that it will be verifying this data, after it picked up on anomalies with the data provided to it by the DPSA by conducting a random sampling process of national and provincial departments. The PSC also states in the letter that it anticipates that the verification of this data will assist it in the development of “remedial actions and interventions to ensure that this does not happen again.”

The DA welcomes the decision by the PSC to verify the data it received from the DPSA and hopes that the remedial action and interventions that will emanate from this crucial investigation, by the PSC, will firmly set the tone in ensuring that, going forward, only qualified and capable individuals are at the helm of government departments.

Issued by Dr Mimmy Gondwe MP - Deputy Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration