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City Press reports that key personnel appointed by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen have been working for three months without a salary because their appointments are being delayed.
Sources confirmed that there was significant dissatisfaction among his staff due to the “incompetence and malice” within the departments of agriculture and public service and administration, which were obstructing the finalisation of their appointments. Sources also claimed that all of Steenhuisen’s staff – even those not in top positions – had suddenly been subjected to a process for top security clearances after it became known that he had appointed Roman Cabanac, a controversial social media activist, as head of staff within the ministerial office. Steenhuisen asked Cabanac to resign two weeks ago, following sustained pressure from within and outside his party. However, it appears that Cabanac refuses to comply. A letter from Steenhuisen to Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi requesting a deviation from the minimum appointment requirements for candidates in his office apparently never reached Buthelezi. Buthelezi’s office said a month ago that the letter had still not reached his desk. He argued that the reason for this was the protocols and processes it had to go through. The source commented: “It’s clear that there are people within the department who’re opposed to Steenhuisen’s appointment as minister. Information’s being leaked to embarrass him, and his choice of candidates and their academic qualifications are being completely blown out of proportion, taken out of context and used as a political football. The fact of the matter is that ministers’ office staff are linked to the minister’s term, because [their appointments are] based on his personal choices and a relationship of trust. Work experience and trust therefore count much more than qualifications.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Johan Eybers at City Press (subscriber access only)
- Read too, ‘I have never refused to resign,’ says Cabanac, at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page