The Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) has structural problems, which has strained relations between its CEO and its commissioners, the Public Protector said on Tuesday.
Mabedla Lawrence Mushwana released a report on his investigation into various allegations made against the commission, including abuse of power, mismanagement and delays into the investigation of sexual harassment.
Mushwana was asked to investigate the claims made in an anonymous letter to his office at the end of last year.
”The investigation of this complaint was made difficult by the anonymous nature; it was not easy to clarify issues relating to the complaint,” he said.
He has, however, found that there are serious problems at the gender commission that need to be addressed.
These included that the finalisation of a sexual harassment case made in 2004 was ”unduly” delayed and that this has tarnished the commission’s image.
The biggest problem was, however, with the structure of the commission.
”[This] manifest[s] in the unreasonably high number of people who report directly to the CEO [Chana Majake],” Mushwana found.
The fact that commissioners do not have job specifications and detailed conditions of service negatively affect the body’s workings.
”The failure by commissioners to sign a performance agreement with the CEO resulted in a situation where they could not effectively hold her accountable,” he said.
He also indicated that the performance-management system is not clear to all staff.
Good news for the commission is Mushwana’s finding that allegations of misuse of taxpayer’s money are unfounded.
He recommended that the commission should amend the Act under which it operates to clarify job specifications and conditions of service for commissioners.
The CEO should also sign a performance agreement and the commission should consider holding a team-building exercise to assist in ”mending” relations, Mushwana recommended.
The commission’s chairperson, Jouyce Piliso-Seroke, welcomed the report, saying she felt happy that the commission was vindicated against charges of mismanagement and corruption.
”The CGE subscribes to the principles of openness, transparency and accountability. In keeping with these principles, we welcomed the Public Protector’s investigation into the charges laid against us,” she said.
On the sexual harassment matter, Majake said the case was finalised earlier this year.
”It is inexcusable for an institution like ours to have taken so long to finalise the case. The matter was always receiving attention but clearly there were gaps in this process,” she said.
”The CGE has a sexual-harassment policy in place but as the investigation shows, we’ve some improvements to make internally,” she added.
Piliso-Seroke said they had already started working on other issues identified by the Public Protector’s office.
”We have already instituted a variety of mechanisms mentioned by the Public Protector’s report within the CGE and will consider his additional recommendations.
”The findings of this investigation don’t negate the great strides made by the CGE in addressing gender inequality. We are an institution committed to our work and our staff and will continue to act without fear, favour or prejudice in fulfilling our mandate,” Piliso-Seroke,” said. — Sapa