Cape Town - After months of negotiations and persuasion, the CEO of the South African Local Government Association, Xolile George, will be the next Secretary to Parliament.
This was announced on Thursday by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli in the meeting of the programme committee.
“We are glad to announce that the executive authority is now in a position to recommend for consideration by the Houses of Parliament, in other words, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, that Mr Xolile George as the Secretary to Parliament with effect from 1 June 2022,” Tsenoli said.
“This is the outcome of a process that involved a multi party panel. We are confident that we have the right candidate for the job,” he said.
George’s contract will be for five years.
George’s appointment will be considered by the National Assembly at its plenary next Wednesday.
This will allow political parties represented in the House an opportunity to make declarations.
The position has been vacant since former secretary Gengezi Mgidlana was sacked in August 2019.
Parliament had been negotiating with George as early as June last year after he became number one of the top three candidates that were interviewed.
Parliament had to restart afresh the search for a new secretary in late 2020 after potential candidates shortlisted for the initial interviews withdrew.
This had prompted the national legislature to conduct a talent search, and candidates were then shortlisted for interviews by the multi-party panel.
MPs were previously told that the salary for the position was adjusted to R2.4 million, just like what other government director generals after Parliament had learnt that on his appointment, Mgidlana was the highest paid person in the public service.
Cape Times