Ministers in standoff over staff appointments

The minister of women, youth & persons with disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, is defying her public service & administration counterpart, Mzamo Buthelezi, over the secondment of two staffers in her office after he ordered that they return to their original posts.

This is according to correspondence exchanged by the two ministers last year, which was leaked to the Sunday Times this week.

The letters show that in June 2025, the secondments of Chikunga’s chief of staff, Zandile Mthembu, and private secretary, Lesego Itumeleng, from the department of transport — where Chikunga served as transport minister before the June 2024 elections — expired, and Chikunga’s request for an extension was denied.

Buthelezi turned down the request after it was submitted well after the secondments had expired in June 2025. He only received it in August, and instructed that the pair be returned to their full-time positions in the department of transport.

However, Chikunga dug in her heels and ignored Buthelezi’s instruction, continuing to retain the pair in her private office to this day.

Buthelezi told Chikunga that no justifiable reason existed for the extension request, noting that the positions formed part of the approved structure of her office and questioning why they could not be filled permanently rather than through secondments.

“Mthembu and Itumeleng’s secondments lapsed on June 30 2025. In contrast, the public service department received the request for extension on August 26 2025,” he said.

“As the secondments have already expired, the minister for public service & administration is not in a position to consider the request for an extension, as an extension cannot be applied retrospectively.”

Buthelezi referred to public service regulations that empower him to determine a secondment period no longer than 12 calendar months after considering operational reasons.

“The factors cited appear to be inherent to the support functions of all executive members and do not constitute justifiable grounds for an executive authority to be exempted from the prescribed recruitment processes,” he said.

Buthelezi added that no reasons had been provided for why the posts could not be filled through the prescribed recruitment and selection processes required by the public service regulations, and that this could not justify the extension.

“Secondments do not require the individual to meet the complete inherent requirements of the post,” he added.

Buthelezi also warned that the growing number of secondments involving permanent staff from core departmental functions was a concerning trend that could “negatively impact service delivery”.

“This places strain on the originating department, especially when the employee plays a direct role in service delivery. This practice may also imply that the department of transport is retaining posts it potentially no longer requires, given the prolonged secondment requests.”

He added that the prolonged secondment of senior management service members is discouraged, as it “may affect stability in senior leadership roles, disrupt long-term organisational planning and blur lines of accountability within departments”.

“While secondments can provide flexibility in addressing immediate staffing needs, it is essential to ensure that such measures are applied in a manner that complements, rather than bypasses, standard appointment practices.

“This approach not only reinforces stability but also strengthens governance by fostering trust and confidence in the integrity of the process.”

Chikunga fired back in December 2025 with another plea for reconsideration of the unfavourable outcome, to which Buthelezi responded in February this year.

After considering the additional motivation placed before him, Buthelezi wrote that it relied largely on an established working relationship and continuity considerations — arguments he again rejected.

Buthelezi’s office declined to comment on Friday, saying it could not speak on internal correspondence exchanged between executive authorities.

“Matters relating to appointments, secondments and staffing arrangements within the office of the minister of women, youth & persons with disabilities fall within the purview of [that department] and should therefore be directed to [it] for comment,” it said.

“Accordingly, the department of public service & administration is not in a position to comment on the specific circumstances referred to in your enquiry.”

Chikunga’s office said “the matter is under investigation by an independent statutory body and we can’t comment at this stage.”