Durban - The Public Service Association (PSA) has warned Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi against appointing the current Acting CEO of the Government Printing Works (GPW) Alinah Fosi into the position permanently.
The PSA has also been joined by the DA in opposing Fosi in being appointed permanently into the position citing questions around her qualifications, intimidation of GPW staff and misuse of taxpayers money to fund an overseas trip with friends.
The PSA, which claims to be the majority trade union at the Government Printing Works, said that despite writing numerous letters requesting a meeting with Motsoaledi to report and discuss allegations of misconduct and mismanagement against Fosi, Motsoaledi had not availed himself for the meeting.
“Instead of Minister Motsoaledi affording the PSA an opportunity to serve him with a full report of the allegations and evidence, he proceeded to shortlist and interview Ms Fosi for the position, by completely ignoring reports that the incumbent is not competent and qualified for the position.
“During Ms Fosi’s tenure as the Acting CEO, she has proven to lack the required competency for the post, as the staff morale in GPW has significantly dropped and most employees and managers are complaining regarding her management style,” the PSA said in a statement.
The union said that it appeared that Motsoaledi was adamant on appointing Fosi irrespective of her not being qualified or competent for the role and added it was determined to do whatever it took to protect its members at GPW, “even if this means challenging this appointment in a court of law.”
“We are still calling on the Minister to do the right thing and suspend Ms Fosi with immediate effect, pending the outcome of her investigation. This is not the time, in our country, to appoint people who are tainted into leadership positions in government entities as we have witnessed how such characters have run down a number of State-Owned Entities,” said the union.
DA spokesperson on home affairs Angel Khanyile said that Motsoaledi should place Fosi under immediate suspension pending an “investigation into her suspicious behaviour”.
Khanyile said that there were questions around Fosi’s qualifications for the CEO position and alleged that she had used taxpayer money to pay for business class tickets to travel with friends to France for a “workshop” and that she had intimidated GPW employees.
Khanyile also accused Fosi of unnecessarily hosting a workshop worth approximately R500 000 at a Bela-Bela hotel and overseeing the appointment of suppliers for this workshop without following due procurement processes.
“However, it seems despite the serious allegations against her, the Minister and ANC members on the portfolio committee of Home Affairs seems comfortable to turn a blind eye to her alleged discretions in order to ensure that she is permanently appointed.
“In correspondence to the portfolio committee, a whistleblower alleges that the push for her permanent appointment is to ensure that ANC allies benefit financially from key Government Printing Works projects worth billions,” Khanyile said.