DA calls for a stop to the flawed appointment of a NW Public Service Commissioner

1 March 2023

The DA rejects the flawed recommendation to appoint Dr Moeletsi Solomon Leballo to the position of Public Service Commissioner for a second term by the ANC.

The process that was followed, and the subsequent recommendation is illegal and must be challenged on all fronts considering the crucial role the Public Service Commissioner plays.

Yesterday, during the sitting of the Legislature, the ANC attempted to pass through for approval by the House an illegal report which was never adopted by the Ad Hoc Committee.

The ANC flouted proper process forcing the fabricated report for adoption by the House to appoint an ANC preferred candidate.

Following an objection from the DA, the ANC attempted to do damage control.

An unprecedented adjournment of the house, in contravention of the Legislature’s Standing Rules and Orders, for 20 minutes resulted in the Speaker calling an urgent Ad Hoc meeting. In true ANC style, the matter was then put to a vote, where all members of the opposition abstained from voting to avoid legitimising an irregular process.

Here is a true account of events that transpired leading up to yesterday’s illegal recommendation:

In November 2022, an Ad Hoc Committee on the appointment of the North West Public Service Commissioner was formed by the Speaker, Basetsana Dantjie;

The members of the Ad Hoc Committee’s establishment tabled constituted three members from the ANC and one each from the EFF and DA. The FF Plus was excluded, in contravention of section 196(8)(b)(i) which stipulated that all parties represented in the Legislature must form part of the Committee;

The nominated members of the Ad Hoc Committee met and developed a Committee Plan and decided on the advertisement for the position on 23 November 2022;

On 27 November, the advertisement was published calling for nominations which closed on 14 December 2022;

On 24 January 2023, the nominated Members of the Ad Hoc Committee met for the shortlisting process. Four members were present except one member from the ANC and the meeting was quorate. Meanwhile, as the DA, we were not happy about the shortlisting of one candidate and raised our reservations;

The interviews took place on 30 January and only three members were present. An ANC member, who was also not at the shortlisting, did not attend. The DA also did not participate in the interviews due to our reservations in the shortlisting process. Immediately after the interviews, a report was compiled based on the outcomes of the scores and the performance of each candidate;

It was then resolved that names would be recommended in the order of performance for appointment;

On 27 February 2023, the Committee had to meet in order to adopt the report and submit it to be tabled in the Legislature. Committee staff, at the directive of the Committee Chairperson, Paul Sebegoe, then cancelled the meeting.

A signed report, with a different order of performance ranking of the candidates, was tabled for adoption by the House. This was done in the evening, despite the committee failing to meet.

Based on the above account, the report that was tabled was not a true reflection as the meeting to consider its adoption failed to convene when it was supposed to. The final report, which was tabled, had been amended as it recommended a candidate who ranked second instead of the first choice following the interviews.

We will today write to President Cyril Ramaphosa and North West Premier, Bushy Maape, to reject the illegal recommendation from the Legislature. The President understands that the DA is in court fighting to bring an end to such cases of cadre deployment, where people who make it on merit are overlooked for comrades in very important positions.

The ANC can no longer hide that they are a corrupt party. The events which transpired in the North West Legislature yesterday are a true testimony to this. ANC members who have no moral conscience could not hide their desire to push through an irregular appointment.

Issued by Gavin Edwards, DA Chief Whip: North West Provincial Legislature, 1 March 2023