Premier
With regard to his statement at the Standing Committee on Education meeting on 15 September 2020, when he said, “In January 2017, we asked the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) for advice on section 16 of the Public Service Act with regard to extending the contracts of heads of departments.”:
1. Whether he can provide more details regarding the advice, including (a) through which medium was this advice sought, (b) the details of all the officials of the Department of the Premier (DotP) involved in the communication with the DPSA and (c) copies of all the communication and correspondences between the DotP and the DPSA; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
2. how was the advice given (telephonically, by fax, by emails or by word of mouth);
3. whether the transcript of or the correspondence with the advice is available; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(1)(a) Advice on the applicability of section 16 of the Public Service Act to Heads of Departments was obtained in the form of a letter from the then Director-General of the Department of Public Service and Administration (“DPSA”), Mr M. Diphofa, dated 9 January 2017, in response to a written request for advice from the then Director-General, Adv. B. Gerber, dated 17 November 2016.
(b) The then Director-General, Adv. B Gerber.
(c) Copies of the letters referred to in (a) above, are attached.
(2) The advice given by the DPSA was in writing.
(3) Corrspondence of advice attached.
