A bombshell directive from the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has exposed glaring gaps in South Africa’s national security oversight, with multiple government departments failing to report critical data on foreign nationals employed in “strategic and sensitive positions” – including roles linked to state security
and governance.
The DPSA’s acting director-general, Willie Vukela, issued a stern memo on April 22 – as obtained by Sunday World – demanding “immediate submission” of the data after departments missed an initial April 11 deadline.
The directive, extended until April 30, follows warnings from the South African
National Security Secretariat (SANSS), that foreign hires in sensitive roles could pose
“public security risks”.
“A recurring area of concern is the employment of foreign nationals within the public service,” Vukela wrote, quoting SANSS’s alarm over appointments made “without appropriately evaluating potential security implications.”
The secretariat has ordered non-compliant departments to be “formally reported to SANSS and other relevant oversight bodies”, raising fears of foreign espionage or governance sabotage.
The DPSA’s ultimatum required departments to disclose the number of foreign nationals on their payrolls, their job roles, residency status and permit details. The move aims to curb the risk of foreign interference in critical sectors, but insiders say the delayed compliance suggests systemic dysfunction – or deliberate obfuscation.
“The requested information is critical to ensuring accurate reporting to the National Assembly […] and upholding the integrity and governance of human resource management,” Vukela stressed in the memo.
SANSS, which reports directly to the president, has increasingly scrutinised foreign nationals’ access to sensitive roles amid global tensions and South Africa’s history of state capture.
The memo does not name specific departments or roles under suspicion but warns of “strategic and sensitive positions”– a term often applied to intelligence, defence, IT and financial roles.
This is not the first time departments have ignored DPSA’s data calls. The memo references “earlier engagements” that failed to secure compliance, highlighting a culture
of impunity.
SANSS is expected to identify and expose non-compliant departments now that the April 30 deadline has passed. Until then, questions remain: Which departments ignored the order? How many foreign nationals hold high-risk jobs? Will SANSS recommend firings or prosecutions?
[DPSA COMMENT PENDING]
