The Public Service Commission report that recommends the head of the police secretariat be removed from his post because of incompetence is not for public consumption, says Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.
Nqakula told diplomats and local and international media representatives this week that the report recommending that the head of the secretariat, Len Rasegatla, be ”laterally transferred to another department” was ”an internal matter”.
”In the first place, that report was leaked to the media. That report is an internal matter, not for the public, and I do not understand why we should keep the media posted,” said Nqakula.
The police secretariat is a civilian oversight body established in terms of the Constitution. It is funded by taxpayers and has received R2,25-million for its maintenance in the past financial year.
Rasegatla is still in his post.
The report suggested that Rasegatla had all but surrendered his powers to his executive assistant, Solomon Maila — a man whom the report accuses of being a sex pest.
”The investigating team found that support services reside under the secretary, but, in effect, all work is routed through the executive assistant, who is not altogether knowledgeable on the aspects relating to support services.”
Maila, too, is still in his post.
According to the report, Rasegatla ”is not on top of his management and administration. From gleaning through the findings, the Secretariat for Safety and Security has not been able to get off the ground in aligning itself to the numerous prescripts required in terms of various pieces of legislation,” said the report.
The report said it was ”clear that there appears to be non-compliance with the basic rules and procedures applicable to the public service”.
Nqakula has been sitting on the report, which was commissioned after complaints by ”concerned employees of the Secretariat for Safety and Security”, since April.
On one occasion Maila was said to have told a woman that he ”was sexually excited to a woman [sic]” and had used racially derogatory remarks to a different female colleague whom he called a ”girl”. This, the report said, happened during staff meetings and in the presence of other employees.
Maila bought himself a cellphone worth about R10 000 ”in the interest of efficiency in the Office of the Secretary”.
The secretary approved the decision, as was within his rights, although the move was not being supported by any of the senior managers. Staff had complained that they did not even have ”office tools” at the time.
The report recommended an investigation into Maila’s activities because ”it appears that he also checks on the work of the line function senior managers, which does not form part of his duties”.
The secretariat bought a Mazda B2600 4×4 bakkie and Toyota Camry 300Sei, meant to be used as pool cars, but Maila used them interchangeably for personal purposes and trips to Limpopo. He alone used the cars.
Maila always indicated under ”nature of service” the words ”official duties”, without specifying what work he had done to justify using the car.
The report did not state whether Rasegatla had acted on its recommendation that he discipline Maila if he was aware that Maila had used government-owned cars for personal use.
Maila was found to have employed his friend, WM Ngqelu, as an assistant director. This contravened the Public Servants Code of Conduct, which requires that officials should recuse themselves in the decision-making process regarding the employment of friends or relatives.
”Furthermore, it was disturbing to learn that the post of chief director: advisory services at the secretariat has not been filled despite the fact that the former incumbent resigned 18 [now 24] months ago,” said the report.