Cape Town – Cosatu, the ANC and several of its affiliates have asked the DA provincial government to terminate the extended contract of the head of the Education Department, Brian Schreuder, “after the Public Service Commission found the extension to be illegal”.
In a joint statement, the organisations said they had noted “with apprehension and concern the alleged irregular extension of the appointment contract of the Western Cape Education Department head of department (HOD) Mr Brian Schreuder as per the report of the Public Service Commission (PSC). More alarming is the premier’s refusal to take corrective action and to actually undermine the findings of the report of this independent oversight body”.
“The PSC, established in terms of chapter 10 of the Constitution of the Public Service Act (1997), and mandated as per section 196 (2) (4), had to investigate without fear, favour or prejudice these serious allegations, which has the ability to compromise the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration, but also compromise the professional ethics and high standards of the public service,” they said.
The group said in February that the PSC received a tip-off that Schreuder’s contract had been extended for an additional two years, allegedly without due process being followed.
The alleged illegally extended contract is the subject of a court action by the Heathfield High School principal, who has been hauled before a disciplinary hearing by Schreuder for speaking out on the opening of schools amid the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year.
Cosatu provincial secretary Malvern de Bruyn said they have also seen many incidences of racism, forced school drop-outs, lowering pass rates, ailing infrastructure, overcrowding, school safety, lack of sanitation and water as well as transport needs.
Premier Alan Winde disagreed with the organisations on the legality of the extended contract. He said the decision to extend Schreuder’s contract was taken on the basis of advice received from the Department of Public Service and Administration in 2017, indicating that the retirement age as stipulated in Section 16 of the Public Service Act did not apply to heads of department, who were employed on contract and were therefore not regarded as permanent employees.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said the statement by the groups contained falsehoods.
“The fact that Cosatu et al have failed to address the ongoing defunding of education in the face of continued bailouts of failing SOEs, while offering no solutions to these challenges, exposes their purely political agenda.
“Firstly, the MEC does not appoint HODs, so allegations that I have ‘manipulated’ anything or ‘undermined’ the PSC in that regard are simply wrong,” she said.
Cape Argus