Is Sisulu protecting Joemat-Pettersson?

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has missed the deadline to publicise its findings of an investigation into the appointment of former Fisheries Deputy Director-General, Greta Apelgren-Narkedien, by the Agriculture Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

In a letter dated 5 June 2013, the PSC undertook to forward its final report on the investigation to both the DA and Minister Joemat-Pettersson by "no later than 16 August 2013".  

Forty days later, the DA continues to wait. 

The failure to meet the deadline raises the suspicion that either the PSC, or Lindiwe Sisulu, the Minister of Public Service and Administration may be protecting Joemat-Pettersson as a result of the damning findings of the investigation. 

The DA has already written to the PSC requesting reasons for the delay, to which we have not received a definitive answer. We will also submit parliamentary questions to Minister Sisulu to press for a response.

Apelgren-Narkedien was appointed as the DD-G for the Fisheries Department in December 2012.  In March 2013 she admitted during an interview on the television programme Carte Blanche, that no formal procedures were followed when she was appointed. 

The DA then wrote to the PSC in April 2013 to request that it investigate the procedures around Apelgren-Narkedien's appointment. The PSC agreed to investigate in June 2013.

Minister Joemat-Pettersson cannot continue to receive protection from taking responsibility for her poor decisions. If the Minister made the decision to appoint Ms Apelgren-Narkedien without following proper procedures, then she must be held accountable. 

The DA trusts that Minster Sisulu and the PSC will do the right and make the report public without further delay.

Statement issued by Pieter van Dalen MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, September 25 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter