The National education, health and allied workers union (NEHAWU) is demanding the removal of the acting director-general in the department of Social Development, Mr Linton Mchunu with immediate effect.
The union has been calling for his removal since he was first appointed in 2019.
The union members took their frustrations on the street by picketing outside the department of social development offices in Pretoria demanding Mchunu’s removal.
The union submitted a memorandum to the department and has given the department 14 working days to respond.
NEHAWU’s national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi told Tshwane Talks that they been calling for the removal of the acting DG since he was first appointed, he says the demonstration at the department of social development comes after Mchunu’s contract was extended for another six months.
“One of the reasons that we are fundamentally opposed to that is because of the public services regulation which are quite clear that an acting appointment must not exceed the period of 12 months when the post is advertised. The current acting DG has been acting for close to 3 years now and that on its own is flaunting the regulations.
“We demand to institute and independent forensic investigation on the act of nepotism by the Minister of social development in that she knowingly appointed Mr Mchunu as acting DG even though she knew he did not qualify for this position, and he does not meet the minimum requirements of the post in terms of the number of years of experience in the public sector.
There are also allegations of corruption levelled against the acting DG in that he committed the department into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with USADF without following due process, Nkoozi said.
Department of Social development spokesperson Lumka Oliphant did not respond to our questions that we sent her, and she replied by saying they can confirm receiving the memorandum and said the department will reply to NEHAWU within the stipulated time.
