Transport department hire probed

Unions bump heads with management and MEC

Unions at the provincial transport department are at loggerheads with management, including the head of department and MEC Weziwe Tikana, over what they say is the irregular appointment of one of the deputy director-generals.

The three unions – Nehawu, Popcru and PSA – accuse the department of protracted inaction against DDG Lomex Sisilana after he was allegedly appointed to the position in 2015 without proper qualifications.

The unions allege Sisilana did not meet the minimum requirements for the top job as he only had a junior degree.

Contacted for comment, Sisilana said: “Sorry chief, I don’t talk to media.”

It is understood the matter is one of six now being probed by the Public Service Commission.

Department spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie said they were aware of a probe by the PSC into allegations of irregular appointments.

“We’re cooperating with that probe and will await its outcome and take appropriate action thereafter,” she said.

In one of the unions’ first letters to the HoD, Irene Mpolweni, dated June 2018, they demanded that Sisilana recuse himself from all duties.

The three unions’ provincial coordinators – Mandla Wisani (Nehawu), M Machakela (Popcru) and P Zitshu (PSA) wrote: “He should immediately be removed from . . . all recruitment processes he is involved in.”

While the Dispatch could not confirm with the commission, in a letter to the unions, Mpolweni says the matter is with the commission.

Mpolweni wrote: “Having made various observations on

We’re cooperating with that probe and will await its outcome and take appropriate action

the allegations, the department is awaiting the final [sic] of the investigation being conducted by the PSC, whereafter appropriate steps will be taken in line with PSC recommendations.”

In her letter, Mpolweni indicates that after being informed by the PSC of the investigations, she subsequently made comments and submissions on the matters.

Now the unions are complaining that the department did not conduct its own internal probe on the matter and the department is only waiting for the PSC’s report.