Communications department director-general Rosey Sekese has apologised to parliament’s portfolio committee on communications for misleading it last year over her failure to sign a performance agreement.

In January, Sekese was placed on special leave by former communications minister Dina Pule after consensus was reached by the committee that she had misled it regarding the signing of her 2012/2013 performance agreement.

Two months later, Sekese was suspended, but returned to work in April after she reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with Pule, only to be stripped of a range of key decision-making powers, including those pertaining to all human resources matters.

Recently appointed communications minister Yunus Carrim told the parliamentary committee on Tuesday that since his appointment, Sekese has been working “extremely hard”.

“I really can’t point to anything [Sekese] hasn’t done that she should have done,” he says. “She’s very available and works very hard.”

Carrim says he has noticed an “increased willingness” by most senior managers within the department to work with Sekese and that he, in consultation with his deputy Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has decided that the DG will remain in her post until at least the national election next year.

According to Carrim, he is negotiating with Sekese about her powers and responsibilities but no investigations are currently being undertaken into Sekese’s behaviour.

Democratic Alliance MP Marian Shinn said she has no objection to accepting the DG’s apology and understands the complications of trying to find a replacement.

Carrim said his understanding of the matter is that the tension between Sekese and Pule stemmed from “a clash of personalities”. He added that the ministry of public service & administration has found nothing to preclude Sekese from doing her job. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media