Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is still in the dark about Nonkululeko Phokane, the former chief of staff to Bheki Cele, being appointed to the prestigious position of communications and liaison head in the SA Police Service (SAPS).
Sunday World understands that Mchunu has requested a full report on the appointment, and he is likely to double-check if there is a reverse gear on this bureaucratic joyride.
“The minister is keen to discover if the decision can be overturned within the 30-day window, as possibly dictated by policy prescripts,” said a source privy to developments.
Last week, the SAPS confirmed that Phokane was appointed to the post without following a competitive recruitment process or advertising it, leading others in the top brass of the service to believe that Cele’s hidden hand was behind the move.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the appointment was in line with the guidelines of the Public Service Act 1994, and the South African Police Service Act 1995, which stipulate the transfer of posts without prior advertisement.
Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, told Sunday World that the minister had yet to receive a briefing on human resources within the SAPS regarding Phokane’s appointment.
“The minister is yet to receive a briefing on human resources within the SAPS, and without such a briefing, he is unable to speak to the employment of Major-General Phokane,” said Mogotsi.
Open recruitment process
Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola, the national police commissioner, allegedly ordered the appointment of Phokane to the lucrative position without an open recruitment process.
According to highly reliable sources, Masemola’s manoeuvre was part of a grand plan to seamlessly weave Cele’s political entourage into the fabric of SAPS, just as their political contracts in the ministry expired in June, revealing that Cele, might still have a sneaky grip on the reins of SAPS.
Political appointees in ministries have employment contracts that align with the minister’s term of office.
When Sunday World revealed Phokane’s appointment two weeks ago, Mathe stated that the SAPS first appointed Phokane as the head of corporate communication and liaison on September 1, 2009.
On July 1, 2013, the Mpumalanga provincial government inter-departmentally transferred her to the position of general manager of communications and information services.
Subsequently, Cele appointed her chief of staff, a position equivalent to that of chief director or major general.
Since August 1, 2005, Phokane has held various positions in the public service, Mathe said.
According to her, the Guide on Members of the Executive (November 2022) no longer permits the permanent appointment of employees in ministers’ private offices.
Academic qualifications
After Cele’s term ended, Phokane transitioned to the vacant position of head of corporate communication and liaison, following the guidelines of the Public Service Act 1994 and the South African Police Service Act 1995, which stipulate the transfer of posts without prior advertisement.
After accepting the relevant post-offer, the officer’s placement changed.
“Major-General Phokane is in possession of a Diploma in Journalism as well as a B-Tech Degree in Journalism, and she meets the requirements for appointment in the post of head: corporate communication and liaison,” said Mathe.
She stated that Cele had appointed other employees in a permanent capacity, and the SAPS was currently considering their lateral redeployment within the public service, following the relevant legislation and prescripts.
“Until such time as the affected employees’ placements have been consulted and accepted, such placements can unfortunately not be discussed in the public domain.
“There are no political appointments, appointed on a contract [temporary] basis, who will be considered for permanent appointment in the SAPS.”
This interesting. Uniformed police officers are not appointed in terms of the Public Service Act. However, in terms of the Ministerial Handbook, staff that served in the ministerial Offices cannot be parachuted into a permanent position without being subjected to an open competitive recruitment process. The exception is if they were already appointed in a permanent position and were seconded to the ministry. In such case, the person reverts back to his/her original appointment once the Minister leaves or the secondment terminates. This appears to be the case here. A lot of noise about nothing.
Cele made lots of strange appointments. Not least, his recent choice for Secretary of Police which slipped under the radar.
Just ask Saps their promotional policy,they will never answer you,because their promotional policy its only ob top management,at the ground level there’s no promotion not at all.
This corrupt government squandered all promotional policies that were transparent and opted for nepotism and bribery hence there are so many clueless chicken at the helm
Cele’s focus was only on task force and amaberet not other position within saps .
Check appointments in the commissioners office.
The general whos in charge of HR…her qualifications.
Appointments in their offices are based on families..daughters…daughters in laws…cousins in that office.
Go have a look at crime intelligence families in key positions
Totally agree with you.
Yip…..again people….why did you vote for the ANC?????
Everything that the ANC government touched turned into failure. And majority of our people still vote for them. Then they deserve what they get.
Corrupt corrupt and more corrupt. It’s embedded in their bodies and mind. Nothing will change whether it’s GNU or not. The corruption will still be ripe. Problem is too huge to sort out. This is the story throughout Africa and that’s why the rest of the world can’t care less about us.