Premier Alan Winde's office has ‘too many whites’

The fact that white, able-bodied men dominate management in the office of the Premier was raised during the discussion of the office’s annual report. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

The fact that white, able-bodied men dominate management in the office of the Premier was raised during the discussion of the office’s annual report. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Oct 11, 2019

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Cape Town - The fact that white, able-bodied men dominate the highest echelons of management in the office of the Premier was among concerns raised during the discussion of the office’s annual report in the legislature.

The report shows that its senior management has 17 white men, one Indian, four blacks and 13 coloureds. In the lower ranks of the semi-skilled and discretionary decision-makers, there are 37 coloured men, 15 Africans, one white person and no Indians.

The ANC’s Lulama Mvimbi also queried the employment equity figures presented in the report, and wanted to know why there appeared to be no people with disabilities in the top and senior management in the Premier’s office.

Pointing at the team of officials, made up of 12 men and four women who accompanied the premier to the legislature, Mvimbi said: “Unless my eyes deceive me, I don’t see much representation in the team.”

The EFF’s Melikhaya Xego also said he was dissatisfied with the equity numbers.

Responding to Mvimbi and Xego, the accounting officer, André Joemat said: “All jobs are advertised and no job is written around particular

candidates.”

He said the recruitment process was rigorous and professional.

Premier Alan Winde said: “If we don’t get inclusivity right in the

economy and correct the injustices of the past, we won’t get where we want to be.”

Responding to a query about whether vacancies and jobs in the department were based on political party affiliation, Winde said: “That would not be tolerated in this government whatsoever. We have to have open, transparent HR practices and no allocation of jobs in the province should depend on political affiliation.”

The office of the Premier achieved a clean audit for the period under review, April 2018 to March 2019. During the 2018/19 financial year, its growth was 3%, after a budget cut was imposed by the Treasury.

The premier said another of the department’s key achievements was maintaining an average of 94% achievement of their annual targets for four consecutive years.

@MwangiGithahu

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