Parliament secretary ZK Dingani wants sweeping changes to create a more efficient administrative base for the institution, and he is adamant that staff who are nervous about racial transformation and possible redeployment must get on the bus, or be left behind.
Dingani says restructuring is crucial to address skills mismatches, an inadequately transformed demographic profile, and ”mindsets” that are not aligned with ”where this country is going”.
He spoke to the Mail & Guardian after our report last week that there was anger among staff over a decision to exclude some coloured officials from travelling to the Kliptown people’s assembly to make way for more African delegates on ”representivity grounds”. The M&G also reported that the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) is angry about what representatives describe as a lack of consultation on restructuring, policy changes and other issues affecting staff.
As secretary, Dingani is at the apex of Parliament’s administrative structures. He is adamant that extensive consultation has taken place throughout the planning process and that staff have been fully briefed on changes that may follow the skills audit that is currently under way.
But he isn’t pulling any punches. ”Why do we have such a huge staff and 250-odd contractors and consultants in and out every day? I might as well fire everyone and have a team to manage the consultants … some people may have skills that are not being used, they may have to move, or be retrained.”
Asked about the concerns of the union and the anxieties of staff he says: ”Some may feel they need to give permission, but change can’t move at the pace of the slowest among us.
”Our vision is to build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the people’s needs and driven by the vision of a better quality of life for all.”
A five-year, R138-million information technology revamp is currently under way to tighten up management, but, he says, ”You also have to ask, do people have the right skills and mindset to take us where the vision points?”
”You must emphasise hard skills, but also personality and mindset. A totally apolitical person cannot work here. You need to understand where this country wants to go, what is South Africa’s position on African and world politics, or you won’t be able to understand why political officers want things done.”
Dingani also wants to confront head-on the racial profile of the 967-strong parliamentary service.
”The Western Cape and Cape Town are not friendly to outsiders, particularly Africans. It is tough to attract people to work here, so the demographics of Parliament reflect the Western Cape rather than national; that can’t be correct,” he insists.
But, for now it seems Parliament is still working on its employment equity policy as part of a wider policy review and staff argue that the resulting climate of uncertainty is damaging relations with management.
Nehawu says, however, it wants to distance itself from the notion that there are deep racial splits in the parliamentary service: ”We acknowledge that there are a number of problems with processes and procedures at Parliament and the union will continue to engage with Parliament to try to resolve these issues.”