Education staff flout policy rule

More than 2 000 have not admitted moonlighting

MORE than 2 000 KwaZuluNatal Department of Education employees were doing business with the department without approval, an alarming situation that could lead to corruption, Education MEC, Senzo Mchunu, said this week.

He said 2 500 employees had not signed the required forms to declare their business interests.

The non-compliance was initially highlighted in a recent report by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe.

“There are a number of departmental officials doing business with the department, but have not declared it. It is alarmingly high,” said Mchunu.

“All these employees need to complete forms as a matter of urgency. This practice of non-compliance puts the department into disrepute as it opens up the system for corrupt practices.”

The MEC said disciplinary action would be taken against employees who failed to comply. “As a department, we want to run a clean administration that is free from all kinds of malpractices,” said Mchunu.

The department has two policies that deal with moonlighting staff: one on remuneration for work outside public service, which was approved in February for work not linked to the department but which could interfere with an employee’s working hours; and one where the outside work was in conflict with their departmental jobs.

The department said employees were flouting both policies.

Spokesman Muzi Mhlambi said the department’s database showed 3 000 employees were doing business with the department but 2 500 of them had not declared that they were doing so.

In terms of KZN Department of Treasury rules that came into effect last year, all public servants in the province are required to declare their business interests as a way of tightening the screws on corruption.

Previously, only high-ranking civil servants were obliged to declare their business interests.

Mhlambi said the outside services provided by employees ranged from catering and cleaning to the provision of stationery to schools.

He said when the required forms were filled out they went to the head of department for assessment and, based on the statement and motivation on the form, the head of department may or may not grant permission.

“Since you have a business on the side, you need to explain how it will not interfere with your work,” he said.

Mhlambi said it was ethical to do business with the department, provided that business interests were declared and permission granted.

In some cases, there was collusion between employees and companies seeking department tenders, he said.

“There are systems in place to check the people being awarded the tender. But at times, the system only picks up when salaries are paid and then we find that the salary is being paid into the same account used in the tender awarding process.”