Chairperson of labour union Nehawu in Parliament, S’thembiso Tembe, says they are calling on the Presiding Officers of Parliament to appoint a tried and tested candidate to fill the position of Secretary to Parliament.
On Friday, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament that a few issues had to be clarified with the independent panel which had conducted the interviews, before finalising the appointment.
Tembe says while Nehawu welcomes Mapisa-Nqakula’s announcement that the position may be filled by April 1, they should consider quality over financial implications.
“We need to appoint a person that has been tried and tested. A person that has a clear track record in leading an enormous institution such as ours. And having been part of the interviewing process as the observers we know that one of the recommended candidates is one of the top executive managers in the Republic of South Africa and we hope that the Presiding Officers will go for the quality instead of only considering financial implications.”
“Therefore, in making their decision, we call upon Presiding Officers to consider the benefits they will get in appointing the best candidate instead of only considering financial implications. So we welcome this decision and we hope that we will have the new Secretary (to Parliament by the 1st of April),” says Tembe.
NEHAWU gives Parliament an ultimatum to appoint a new Secretary or face strike action:
