Civil servant ingered in selling of teaching posts
MANZINI – A civil servant has been fingered to be behind the alleged selling of jobs in the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).
The Chairperson of the TSC, Dr Amos Mahlalela, said this in a meeting with the Ministry of Education and Training Portfolio Committee held at The George Hotel in Manzini on Monday.
The meeting was meant to elucidate to the portfolio committee members the work of the TSC and its role in the education sector.
Dr Mahlalela said corruption was rife at TSC and it was something that bothered him just like the legislators.
He said there had been allegations, but last week a teacher recruited on a temporary basis questioned him if the money the educator had paid had fallen short and how much was the outstanding balance.
Recruited
Dr Mahlalela said the educator recruited on contract wanted to be employed by the TSC on a permanent basis and subsequently paid a certain amount to an officer who claimed to have shared the money with him.
However, as days passed by, the teacher did not get the desired post and approached the chairperson to establish if he had received the money paid and also enquired if it fell short from the desired ‘price tag’ for this act to happen.
The chairperson said: “To your surprise, the person selling the posts is in another ministry.”
Dr Mahlalela said he was already investigating the matter so that he could deal with it appropriately.
He acknowledged that there were people who did not come forward with evidence in fear of being arrested for partaking in the corrupt practice.
If it were not for that, Dr Mahlalela said all the culprits engaging in the sale of posts would be guest at the various Correctional facilities in the kingdom.
He said it was not enough to hear about the acts just like it was not sufficient to have evidence; but it was enough to report it to law enforcers.
The chairperson said he could not dispute that corruption was there as they (fraudsters) had already collected money using his name.
Dr Mahlalela said this after Nkomiyahlaba Constituency Member of Parliament (MPs) Welcome Shongwe had submitted that some of his constituents had approached him seeking loans so that they could supposedly bribe officials at the TSC in order for them to have their contracts renewed.
Loans
“Posts are sold and my constituents sought loans to pay human resource officers for them to get posts,” alleged the legislator.
He claimed that the corruption hierarchy supposedly started with the human resource officers upwards and those who sought their contracts to be renewed would not get their wish if they did not pay.
On the other hand, Shiselweni Region MP Nokuthula Dlamini applauded the chairperson for his sterling record in the education sector. Despite that, she wondered how Dr Mahlalela would deal with the alleged ‘posts for sale’ debacle in his new portfolio.
Also, the Speaker, Petros Mavimbela, appreciated the candidness of the legislators and the chairperson in highlighting the corruption scourge.
He said: “Dr Mahlalela said teachers were employed on merit; but MPs claim they offer loans to constituents to get posts.”
The Mhlambanyatsi legislator said if it were the case (posts being awarded on merit), there would be no civil servants who were suspended.
He said as legislators, they wanted Dr Mahlalela to see that there were underhand tactics at TSC.
Worth noting is that allegations of posts being retailed at steep amounts within the TSC have been declared before. Evidence was sought while also those who knew of these acts were ordered to submit and or report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) the perpetrators.