SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST MANYI ORCHESTRATED THROUGH THE MAIL AND GUARIAN

The following questions were received from the Mail and Guardian Mr Charles Molele:

"We are doing an article about your failed restructuring plan - or rather proposed budget programme structure - which was rejected by national treasury last week in a letter dated August 14 2012.

The Mail & Guardian has seen the letter from national treasury.

Kindly answer the following questions as per your proposed structural change programme:

• Why do you think national treasury rejected the structural changes you proposed?
• Was this structural change approved by the minister? If so, why would national treasury reject it?
• If it did not have the minister's approval why did you see it fit to go ahead with the proposed plan?
• Was this structural change discussed with the unions [Nehawu and PSA] and or were they simply told about it? "

In his response to these questions the CEO of GCIS convened a meeting attended by:

Deputy CEO's: Vusi Mona, Phumla Williams, Nebo Legoabe
Chief Director HRM: Keitu Semakane
Director: Office of the CEO: Pari Pillay
Unions: David Moraba (NEHAWU) and Thembinkosi Laat (PSA)

Cabinet processes

It was explained to the meeting that the operations of GCIS are informed by a Cabinet approved Communication Strategy. It was explained to the journalist, Mr Charles Molele, how Cabinet processes work in particular the fact that the Minister is the only person that can table a departmental proposal of any kind to Cabinet . And thus, any insinuation that the Minister may not be aware is simply a misunderstanding of collective decision making processes of Cabinet or undermining the authority of the Minister in GCIS operations. Manyi pointed out that it was very clear reading from some of the questions that the thesis of the smear campaign is that Manyi disrespects authority and insinuation which is not only malicious nor devoid of any substance but artificially created to feed the story line.

Interaction with National Treasury

It was pointed out to the journalist that additional posts that were created were approved by the Minister and were funded by National Treasury. Furthermore, the Mail and Guardian journalist was also shown a copy of delegations which authorised Manyi to assign or reassign anyone under his control to different posts.

It was also explained to the journalist that what he has called restructuring which he gleaned from a leaked Treasury letter was in fact not restructuring but re- labelling certain Branch names appropriately as required by National Treasury so that the label reflects the substance of that Branch (National Treasury Guidelines, June 2010). It was also explained that in fact contrary to the understanding of the journalist, our request was in no way requesting for funding or a restructuring of the organisation but for the name changes of the branches in compliance with the National Treasury Guidelines.

Delegation of authority

Journalist was given an extract of a signed delegation of authority by the Minister to the CEO which reads as follows:

"The internal organisation of the department concerned, including its organisational structure and establishment, the transfer of functions within departments, human resources planning, the creation and abolition of posts and provision for the employment of persons additional to the fixed establishment"

This delegation of authority exposes the malicious story line which seeks to purport that Manyi does things without the authority of the Minister.

Participation of the Unions

The unions were in the meeting represented by both unions, the NEHAWU and PSA and they confirmed that in GCIS union involvement is seamless. They confirmed that both unions participated from MANCO level - the highest structure in GCIS to the various sub committees. Both unions frowned at the insinuation that they were puppets.

Additional information not covered in the meeting

In the year under review GCIS has:

• obtained an unqualified report
• no irregular expenditure incurred
• achieved 100% staff retention at Senior Management Level (Director to Deputy Director-General level)
• only 6% of turnover at lower levels

PHUMLA WILLIAMS

DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CORPORATE SERVICES

Statement issued by the GCIS, August 23 2012

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