South Africa: Top state jobs not likely to be filled before elections
Thématique :
sud afrique
By SLINDILE KHANYILE, Business Report, 16/03/2009
At least six key state-owned enterprises are without heads and political analysts and recruitment agencies are divided on whether the positions will be filled before next month's general elections.
Transnet has delayed naming Maria Ramos's successor.
The SABC's Gabriel Mampone has been acting chief executive since Dali Mpofu was suspended in May.
SAA fired Khaya Ngqula, its chief executive, last week.
Moeketsi Mosala quit his chief executive job at Tourism South Africa two weeks ago.
Yvonne Johnston left the International Marketing Council (IMC) about a year ago.
Wawa Damane was dismissed as chief executive of the Small Development Enterprise Agency six months ago.
Susan Booysen, a political analyst at the University of the Witwatersrand graduate school of public development management, said filling posts in the public sector was a slow process.
"Over the last year and half, that process has slowed further," she said.
"People are reluctant to apply for posts, because they don't know who their boss will be. There is a lot of uncertainty right now in the context of political transition," said Booysen.
Political analyst Steven Friedman said that except for the Transnet post, he did not see the vacancies being filled before next month's elections.
Georgina Barrick, the managing director at Renwick Talent, said there was a huge drive to fill posts in the public sector before the elections, but whether it would be achieved would depend on whether potential successors had been identified.
Annelize van Rensburg, a partner at Leaders Unlimited, said the speed of the process depended on the commitment of the board. She said there was a possibility some of these companies would fill the positions before the elections.
The department of public enterprises said appointing a chief executive for Transnet was under consideration.
Tourism SA would advertise its open position next week and the process could be finalised in about six months. The IMC said its search began last month and the process could be finalised at the end of next month.
SAA said the board had started looking for a candidate to replace Ngqula, but did not specify the time frame.
The SABC has begun looking for its new head.
