The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) have committed to investigating the appointments of Heads of Departments in the North West provincial government. 

This comes after the Provincial Legislature’s portfolio committee on Premier and Finance revealed a shocking imbalance in the appointments for departmental heads and deputy director generals across the departments in the province. 

During an oversight meeting, it was reported that the provincial government failed to promote equity in senior appointments. Only one woman has been appointed as a head of department (HOD) out of 12 across the province.

Members of the provincial legislature have strongly criticised the Office of the Premier for failing to implement equity in appointments.    

Justice Dabampe of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says, “On the advert you can’t put that you are going to appoint women and you don’t appoint women whereas women applied. That one I don’t think is fair; it doesn’t even need legal or anything. It is just to say we made a mistake in the advert, and because of that mistake, it therefore means I cannot even apply as a male.”

“I honestly don’t believe that the office of the premier, or let me say the government of this province, is taking this matter seriously; hence, they are unable to stick to their own target and it becomes business as usual,” says Freddy Sonakile of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Chief Whip in the legislature Motlalepula Rosho says, “I am the first female chief whip in the last 31 years. Now I can’t mince my words when it comes to some of the issues that have been raised by my colleagues; issues of gender equality must be real and must be practical.”  

Others blame this on a lack of implementation of policies. Dr Dennis Matotoka of the CGE and Lebogang Mautlwa of the PSC say the provincial government must correct this mistake. 

“We noted that the aspirations of employment equity plans and targets were not met. There were always commitments that shall put new measures in place, but even those measures are not resulting in the upward mobility of previously disadvantaged groups at all occupational levels,” says Matotoka.   

Mautlwa says, “The first step that the authority needs to take when faced with irregular appointments is that they should firstly reverse their decisions to appoint and to promote the person and that decision firstly needs to be declared unlawful by your court of law.” 

The Director General of the Office of the Premier, Mosweu Mogotlhe, has acknowledged that this is a cause for concern.  “We made an admission that these numbers are not good. We can do better as the provincial administration. There is nothing to defend here. We just need to admit and do what is necessary to turn things around. And that is why we have said we want to present a concrete plan to the executive council so that all of us at the departmental level and state-owned entities to implement that plan to turn the situation around.” 

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on the Premier, Nathan Oliphant, says the provincial government must review the appointments.  “Appointing able-bodied men is a deviation from the advert, and a deviation from the advert makes it irregular. All of us agreed in that meeting that the picture was not a good picture and that the government should correct it. 

The committee says it is disappointing that the Premier’s office failed to lead in terms of employment equity.