Public Protector Finds Corrupt Hiring Practices at Bushbuckridge Municipality, SA Not Surprised
- The Public Protector found cases of illegal hiring processes conducted at the Bushbuckridge Municipality in Mpumalanga
- Kholeka Gcaleka found that a panel of six people hired candidates who didn't have the required qualifications
- South Africans were not surprised by the findings, with many blaming the African National Congress (ANC) for the problem
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
MPUMALANGA – An investigation by the Public Protector into allegations of illegal hiring processes at the Bushbuckridge Municipality has uncovered serious cases of jobs for pals at the institution.
Six senior officials are now facing disciplinary action following investigations by the Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka, who exposed a corrupt recruitment process at the municipality.
The Public Protector’s findings noted that politically connected candidates were given jobs at the municipality, despite not having the required qualifications for those posts.
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The province of Mpumalanga is no stranger to corruption allegations at municipalities of late. On 16 April, two Emalahleni Local Municipality Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) were arrested after they were caught accepting a bribe.
Candidates appointed without the necessary qualifications
According to the reports, the municipality appointed Pawngeorge Zwane and Tshwarelo Kgwedi, despite failing to meet the minimum post requirements. They were both handpicked for the jobs.
Zwane was appointed as an Occupational Health and Safety administration clerk, but didn’t have qualifications or experience in the field. Kgwedi was appointed as a Human Resources administration clerk despite not having a matric certificate, which was one of the requirements in the job advertisement.
The Public Protector also concluded that the six panellists who approved the appointments are to blame, as they violated the values of impartiality, transparency, and professional ethics.
The municipality’s spokesperson, Fhumulani Thovakale, confirmed that they were taking action against the panellists as recommended by Gcaleka. She added that the municipality’s disciplinary board was also studying the Public Protector’s report and would then advise the municipal manager and the executive mayor on what steps to take next.
Source: Twitter
Labour union suspected illegal practices
Gcaleka’s investigations followed on from numerous allegations made by the labour union, the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Unions of South Africa (Demawusa). Demawusa told the Public Protector that it had warned the former municipal manager, Cynthia Nkuna, of suspected pre-selections on the day of the interviews.
“We were aware of a rumour that appointments had already been decided in advance,” Demawusa’s Lufuno Nonyane said.
Jobs for pals remains a big talking point in the country, and it's not just exclusive to one party. In August 2024, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was accused of cadre deployment when John Steenhuisen attempted to hire DA members who lacked the necessary qualifications.
South Africans are not surprised by the news
Social media users weighed in on the news, with many not surprised that there was another case of jobs for pals making headlines, as they blamed the African National Congress for the continued corruption.
Len Karsten joked:
“The ANC is currently running a nationwide competition. It is trying to find the most honest person in government and local government. The prize is a Mercedes Brabus. The competition has been running for the last five years, and so far, there is still no winner for the vehicle.”
Abbey Mabotja asked:
“Do we still have people who vote for this rotten party?”
Mabore Ngoatje stated:
“That’s the ANC for you.”
Bongani Mgubela added:
“This is the reason there's poor service delivery. Incompetent people in strategic positions.”
Artur Conde noted:
“More of the same. What can be done to clean up the SA government? The ANC has to go, the sooner the better.”
Francois Marais van Zyl sarcastically said:
“Wow, what a surprise.”
Fikile Mbalula says ANC won't tolerate jobs for pals
Briefly News reported that Fikile Mbalula said the ANC would no longer prioritise political connections when it came to deployment.
The Secretary-General of the party said it would not focus on jobs for pals anymore, but would focus on service delivery.
South Africans argued that it was too late for the party to undo the damage caused by cadre deployment over the years.
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Source: Briefly News
