Minister of Communications, Ms Dina Pule, today briefed Parliament about the appropriate action taken after the Director-General of the department, Ms Rosey Sekese, misled Parliament last year.
The briefing was in response to a request by the Portfolio Committee on Communications.
Minister Pule explained that whilst the responsibility for the appointment of Directors General was handled by the line Ministers, this is done in consultation with the Minister of Public Service and Administration.
She had, accordingly referred the matter to the Minster of Public Service and Administration. On advice, Minister Pule placed the Director-General on special leave in December 2012 while the Minister of Public Administration explored the most appropriate way of addressing the misleading of Parliament by the Director General.
The Director-General then approached the Labour Court to have her placing on special leave overturned. As a result of the Court decision, she returned to the department in April.
After her return, Minister Pule decided to review the delegations of authority and re-assigned all human resource responsibilities to a Deputy Director-General in the department. This was done because since January, the department had moved with speed to fill vacancies in the senior management level - an area that had hamstrung the department’s ability to deliver services in recent years.
The process to find an appropriate way of dealing with the matter involving the Director-General is ongoing and is subject to legal considerations.
Minister Pule is working with the Minister of Public Service and Administration to bring this matter to a speedy close.
For media enquiries please contact:
Siyabulela Qoza
Cell: 082 898 1657
E-mail: siya@doc.gov.za
