Verification of Qualifications of Public Service Employees by the South African Qualifications Authority October 2009 D

1. Verification of Qualifications of Public Service Employees by the South African Qualifications AuthorityOctober 2009 Daniel Pienaar

2. Presentation Outline • Context • Background to the Verification of Qualifications • Objectives of Bulk Verification • Individual and Bulk Verification • Verification of Qualifications for Senior Level Appointments • SAQA Contacts • Dpsa contacts

3. Context • In April 2009, the South African Qualifications Authority was tasked to be the sole verification institution that would be accepted for qualification verification in the public service, by the MPSA • Cabinet minutes of 15 April 2009 (item 3.8)

4. Background to Verification of Qualifications • Verification of qualifications in the public service have been undertaken for a significant period of time • A number of problem areas identified in how verification was undertaken • Verification of qualifications in the Public Service is pursued in a fragmented manner • Departments manages service providers individually - the seemingly the only deliverable is a report – process is assumed to be watertight • Agency methodology models often unknown • Difficult to aggregate data

5. Background to Verification of Qualifications • Services provided to Departments duplicated • Government could potentially be paying for multiple verifications of the qualifications for a single employee • This approach not beneficial to the Public Service over the long term • Leads to waste of resources and duplication of costs • Lack of a central repository and coordination point where Departments can access the results of qualifications already verified at no cost • Absence of a method whereby such results can be shared within government for improved decision making

6. Objectives of bulk verification • Circular issued in May 2009 • Requests that qualifications be verified by a statutory body: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) • The Circular requests Departments to utilise SAQA for bulk and individual verification • Assist in increased reliability and ongoing maintenance of PERSAL data • Establish comprehensive database of qualifications of Public Service employees, accessible to all Departments

7. Objectives of bulk verification • Complements security checks to be undertaken i.t.o the National Vetting Strategy in the Public Service (Criminal records, citizenship, financial/asset, qualifications, previous employment • Circular on Bulk verification elaborates on verification of qualifications, does not replace Circular on the National Vetting Strategy • Verification of qualifications and security vetting they are separate but aligned processes

8. Individual and bulk verification • Bulk verification should be undertaken by 1 November 2009 (letters to HoD’s, Sept 09)- for existing employees • Departments that have undertaken bulk verification need not repeat it as long as the data has been maintained (will be requested to provide data to the dpsa at a later date) • For individual verification existing agreements with service providers should be honoured, however as this is client (dept. needs driven) it is logical that this will cease immediately • Upon expiry, SAQA should be used to verify qualifications of new or potential employees • SAQA now verifies all qualifications

9. Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments • New arrangement for the National sphere • The MPSA has the responsibility to submit motivations by departments, for the filling of HOD and DDG posts to Cabinet • To facilitate this process national Executive Authorities must provide the MPSA with a Cabinet memorandum containing all relevant information, including verification of academic qualifications, two weeks prior to Cabinet meeting • After publication of the Circular, need for rapid verification of qualifications for senior level appointments • Instances where the appointment needs Cabinet approval

10. Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments • New arrangements contained in letter to HoD’s, Sept 09 • Separate channel in SAQA arranged for verification of: • Deputy Directors General • Heads of Government Components • Chief Executive Officers of Public Entities • Directors General • Same day verification, exceptional circumstances 72 hours • Departments should undertakeverification at least one month in advance of the scheduled interview date • Outcome: Provision of a Verification Report

11. Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments • SAQA will verify foreign qualifications • Outcome: Evaluation Certificate • Turnaround time connected to costing structure • Time of Departmental submissions for foreign qualifications to SAQA to be aligned with costing • Time of Departmental submissions for foreign qualifications to SAQA to be aligned with costing • MPSA only processes appointments if the qualifications are verified, and evaluation of foreign qualifications performed, by SAQA

12. Verification of qualifications of senior level appointments • Verification and evaluation checks of qualifications by other institutions not accepted • Provincial Governments adhere to internal policies and practices regarding DDG appointments and upwards • Can contact SAQA to follow a similar process

13. SAQA Contacts • Departments to contact SAQA directly • Bulk & individual verification: Cleo Radebe / Yvonne Shapiro • Verifications@saqa.org.za • Tel: (012) 431 5155 • Fax: (012) 431 5051 • Verification of senior level appointments • Deputy Chief Executive Officer, SAQA • Joe Samuels • VerifyPublicService@saqa.co.za • Tel (012) 431 5027 • Fax (012) 431 5039

14. Dpsa contacts • Policy for verification of senior level appointments • Ministry for Public Service and Administration • Dumisani Nkwamba • (012) 336 1704 • (021) 467 5120 • 082 885 9448 • Dumisani.Nkwamba@dpsa.gov.za • Circular on bulk verification • Daniel Pienaar • Tel: (012) 336 1168 • Fax: 086 691 1629 • danielp@dpsa.gov.za • hrp@dpsa.gov.za

15. End of Presentation Thank You