Johannesburg - Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s office has been hit by a string of resignations by senior staffers – with most of the executives ditching him for his predecessor Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s department.
The exodus has partly been blamed on Mokonyane, who has been accused of “pulling a Numsa (National Union of Metalworkers of SA)” on the provincial government by poaching employees to her ministry.
The latest senior employee to be “headhunted” by Mokonyane is director-general Margaret-Anne Diedricks, who left two weeks ago. Sources in the Gauteng government said at least 10 senior staffers – mostly in key and strategic positions – had followed Mokonyane since President Jacob Zuma appointed her to the new department in May.
A source in the provincial government suggested that the departures came down to purging, because some of the directors were too loyal to Mokonyane.
“It’s good riddance, actually. They (Makhura’s office) got rid of them because they were too drawn into the factional politics and were too loyal to the former premier,” the source said. “Their departure will create an opportunity for the new premier to appoint people who can assist with the realisation of the premier’s vision.”
Apart from Diedricks, chief of staff Colin Pitso, director of communications Peggy Mabuza, deputy director of communications Matlakala Motloung and director of government business Joy Dladla are among those recruited by Mokonyane.
Pitso, Diedricks and Motloung are listed on the Water and Sanitation Department’s website as occupying the same positions they held in Gauteng.
“It’s not that the impact is major, but there’s now too much pressure on the remaining employees because they (departed staffers) occupied key, senior positions. It means these staffers now have to do more work,” a source said.
Said another: “We suspect that this is an attempt by Mokonyane to destabilise Gauteng. Her tactics are no different from what Numsa is doing to other sister Cosatu affiliates.”
Gauteng government spokes-man Thabo Masebe downplayed the impact, saying most of the positions had already been filled. He said most of the staffers who left were political appointees whose contracts were linked to Mokonyane’s term.
“The appointment of the chief of staff (Pitso) was linked to the former premier’s term of office. And so were her advisers, who are employed with the understanding that if the premier leaves, their contracts end,” Masebe said. He initially said Diedricks had not yet left, but appeared to have resigned himself to the reality of her departure.
“The DG has not left. They requested a secondment, but she will eventually be transferred. Practically, she is gone,” Masebe said.
“The chief of staff position has been filled by Charlotte Dube. The head of communication position was filled immediately in less than a week (by Masebe himself). Peggy’s position has been advertised and we are now doing interviews. Even now, we are managing without her. It’s not like an exodus and there is no crisis.”
But a source in Mokonyane’s office said Gauteng had itself to blame for the departures, citing the announcement of Kay Sexwale as the chief of staff. Sexwale turned down the offer.
“We were alarmed when Kay Sexwale was suddenly announced as the chief of staff when Pitso was still there. If that wasn’t purging, then what was it?”
The Star