News24 reports that more than a third of senior managers in the office of North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi are unqualified for their positions, sparking concern from parliamentarians about the level of professionalism in the province’s highest office.

Only 64% of senior managers in Mokgosi’s office have suitable qualifications, and there seems to be no plan to fix the situation. Equally worryingly, 31 out of 348 senior managers from 12 departments in the provincial government lack the right qualifications (9%). But there is missing data and information, calling into question the accuracy of the figures. Regarding staff qualifications, 12 provincial departments had been requested to provide data on educational qualifications of their senior managers. Each department was required to verify this information and submit it to the Public Service Commission (PSC) using a standardised reporting template, which had to be signed off by the department head. The departments of economic development, environment, conservation and tourism; social development; and public works and roads were the only ones that indicated that all senior management service (SMS) members met the minimum qualification requirements for their respective posts. “No department, except for one, provided detailed information on remedial actions taken. The Office of the Premier, which is entrusted with driving ethical leadership and governance, reported that only 64% of its SMS members are qualified for the positions they occupy - a figure that raises serious concerns about institutional credibility and professionalisation,” the PSC report indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jason Felix at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page