The suspended chief director of Human Resources at the Northern Cape Department of Education, Thomas van Staden, has been appointed as the municipal manager at Siyathemba Local Municipality.
THE SUSPENDED chief director of Human Resources at the Northern Cape Department of Education, Thomas van Staden, has been appointed as the municipal manager at Siyathemba Local Municipality.
The position was vacant and had been filled by an acting municipal manager for over 25 months.
Van Staden is currently challenging his suspension at the Department of Education, asserting that he was falsely accused of sexual assault by his subordinates.
He was placed on precautionary suspension in February following protests that were staged outside the department’s offices in Kimberley by gender-based violence and femicide advocacy groups.
Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson Lehuma Ntuane stated that, to their knowledge, Van Staden remains employed at the department.
“We have not been advised otherwise by him regarding his alleged new employment at Siyathemba Municipality.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Babalwa Mzambo, stated that Van Staden had undergone all the relevant legal selection and recruitment processes.
“The principle of natural justice – innocent until proven guilty – still stands. Van Staden has a right to apply for a position he is qualified to occupy after going through all the recruitment processes,” said Mzambo.
She pointed out that the municipality was responsible for appointments.
Siyathemba Municipality mayor Xolile Phillips said that the MEC for Coghsta had approved the appointment on September 4.
“All recruitment and selection processes were followed and Van Staden had the highest scores and competency assessment levels out of a total of nine applicants. Council submitted his name as the preferred candidate to the MEC for Coghsta for approval,” said Phillips.
He added that Van Staden had disclosed in his application form that he had pending charges.
“An applicant is presumed innocent until guilty in a court of law. Should he be cleared of the charges, it could open the municipality up to litigation because he was scored as the most suitable candidate. The position has been vacant for some time and needs to be filled.”
Phillips explained that Van Staden would be required to resign from the Department of Education if he accepted the municipal manager position.
“A council meeting will be held to ascertain when he should commence employment at the municipality. Van Staden is a distant cousin of the MEC for Coghsta and is not an immediate relative. In the Northern Cape, many people are related and this cannot preclude them from applying for a position on this basis.”
Van Staden stated yesterday that he had accepted the municipal manager position and he would tender his resignation at the Department of Education once all administrative processes were completed.
He added that the appointment followed all procedures and was subjected to scrutiny by Coghsta.
“I applied for the position through a properly constituted process in line with the legal framework. I am a highly qualified human resource manager who possesses the necessary qualifications, competencies, skills and experience for the position. In fact, I am overqualified and experienced for this position. Ascending to this position through proper processes is sacrosanct to me,” said Van Staden.
He added that he had even agreed to accept a salary cut.
“To serve the community where I was born and raised is a real achievement for me and I take pride in that. I will be taking a salary cut as I am currently paid in excess of what the position offers. The notion of being a product of nepotism and cadre deployment without merit is nauseatingly disrespectful.”
Van Staden said that he had provided full disclosure of “the false allegations against me and the court case I am involved in”.
He believes that he is the victim of a smear campaign.
“These are false allegations and a smear campaign. The matter will be resolved in court. I believe in the fairness of the justice system.
“I find it highly disrespectful that my appointment is being labelled as cadre deployment when the processes are governed by strict legislative prescripts.
“I met all the requirements in terms of my qualifications and experience and performed exceptionally well to be considered for this position,” he stated.
