Some Public Servants Spurn Transfers To Follow Spouses
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday October 19, 2020 15:23
Newly appointed director for Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), Goitseone Mosalakatane revealed this recently when appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Public Service and Management. She said there were a few instances where some of the spouses did not want to be transferred closer to their families or partners who have applied in response to this initiative.
In turn, this has revealed pockets of uninterested partners and disinterest on the part of spouses separated due to employment within the public sector.
However, Mosalakatane said in spite of these isolated cased, the appointing authority should always make an effort to avoid transfers that have the effect of separating spouses, where possible.
“There are challenges that often arise and affect the effective execution of the aforesaid provision of general orders. Some officers applied to areas where there are no comparable departments/positions,” Mosalakatane said.
“There were also instances where some government ministries/departments did not have adequate budget to finance massive staff transfers. There have been complaints raised by single or unmarried officers who argue that they were discriminated and prejudiced upon by the employer on the basis of their marital status.” The DPSM boss said some officers who applied for transfer were newly appointed, promoted, or transferred to their respective duty stations, after overstaying in areas nearer to their families or spouses. Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Public Service and Management, Goretetse Kekgonegile asked the DPSM director to assist married couples willing to stay together.
“Married couples are not supposed to be separated because if they stay in different places, they end up divorcing. This issue needs to be avoided at all cost. Some officers complain that they have three to four years having requested for transfers to where their spouses are, but there is no response from your office,” Kekgonegile said.
He added even transfers for officers who had been in one area for more than five years must be reviewed.
On a different matter, Mosalakatane told the committee that they had re-employed 245 eligible applicants after they were fired for partaking in the 2011 Public Service strike.
She said 10 applicants were rejected, as their dismissals were unrelated to the Public Service strike.