The past week for example has seen the retirement of the Director of Public Service Management (DPSM) Pearl Matome. A high flier, who rejoined the public service from the private sector a few years back, Matome had been the DPSM for just over one year. That makes her term as DPSM one of the shortest ever served by someone in that position. Curiously Matome's 'retirement' was with immediate effect. Matome has herself confirmed that she retired but refused to say why she did so in that particular manner, without giving notice. The Director of the Public Service Management is one of the most powerful positions within the public service. While the DPSM is at the same rank as permanent secretaries, the position weilds more power in terms of the employment of officers. For example the DPSM can overrule a permanent secretary over whether an officer should be transferred or not.
Other retirements that have raised eyebrows are those of two deputy permanent secretaries at the Government Implementation Coordinating Office (GICO) - messers Letsapa Mojaphoko and Modisaotsile Kono. Mojaphoko, an ICT, specialist was deputy permanent secretary ICT while Modisaotsile Kono was deputy permanent Secretary for Infrastructure.
