Mamodupi Mohlala, the recently reinstated director-general of communications, has dismissed as premature an announcement in the Government Gazette that she has accepted a position with the public service sector education & training authority (Pseta).
Mohlala says she has not yet received a formal written offer to join Pseta, although the job was offered to her verbally. She has not yet accepted the job because it does not have an equal standing to her current role as a director-general.
Director-general of higher education and training, Mary Metcalfe, announced that Mohlala will replace Pseta’s board as an administrator in the Gazette’s edition on Friday.
The move forms part of a shake-up of struggling sector education & training authorities (Setas).
Higher education minister Blade Nzimande plans to scrap the boards of four Setas and place them under administration. The affected authorities are the public service, media and advertising, construction, and energy Setas.
Mohlala was recently reinstated to her post at the communications department after she was unceremoniously fired by communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda in July. Nyanda cited an irreparable breakdown in their working relationship.
Mohlala threatened to take legal action on the grounds of unfair dismissal. However, Nyanda and Mohlala reached an out of court settlement that saw her effectively reinstated her to the position as director-general.
As part of the settlement, Mohlala agreed to take a month’s leave while the minister for public service & administration Richard Baloyi found her an alternative and equal position in another department.
There are several departments in government without a director-general.
Mohlala says that one reason she did not accept the Pseta job is that she would report to Metcalfe as her superior, meaning that the job is not equal in authority to her current position as departmental director-general.
In addition, Nzimande had to suspend placing the media Seta under administration, after its board threatened to seek a court interdict to stop the process.
Mohlala fears that Pseta may also take this route and leave her without a job. The Gazette says the contract will last for six months and can be reviewed at the end of that period.
Mohlala says she is seeking clarity about the Pseta job offer from the department of education. “Until then I am preparing myself to go back to the department of communications next week,” she says. — Candice Jones, TechCentral
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