Recruitment of public managers in the Provincial Government Service from 1994, with particular reference to Limpopo

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to scrutinize the difficulties that confront the recruitment and selection processes at provincial government level, which recruitment processes are required to be in conformity with national and provincial policies. Furthermore, the study will also endeavor to answer questions on problems emanating from the recruitment and selection of public managers since 27 April 1994. The population selected for purposes of this study was that of the management team of the Department of Public Works in the Limpopo Province. The population consisted of 281 management officials. A proportional stratified random sampling design was used for obtaining a sample, with head office and the six district offices forming the different stratas. 14% of managers in all stratas were taken as a sample. The data was collected using questionnaires and interviews, followed by the collection of selected government reports with appropriate data. In the case of interviews, the following three methods were iv used, namely, non-scheduled interviews, non-scheduled structured interviews and scheduled structured interviews. The study revealed that in the Department of Public Works:  There was a sustained or uncontrollable movement of managers hopping in and out of the department. This was exacerbated by the lack of a retention strategy for controlling this problem. As a result, the cream of the department’s most resourceful managers was lost.  The recruitment and selection processes in the department of Public Works were inappropriately guided due to a lack of proper planning. As a direct result thereof, the wrong managers were recruited.  The internal source was preferred over the external source in conducting the recruitment and selection processes. This limited the opportunities of employing the correct managers.  There have been biases in that the recruitment and selection processes were manipulated in order to benefit certain individuals v at the expense of others. This has had a negative impact on the morale of the rest of the staff. In view of the findings of this study, it is recommended that further research on a broader scope is imperative, with the population consisting of the entire management in the Limpopo Provincial Government. The purpose of such research should be to determine the extent to which the recruitment and selection of managers were impacting on service delivery, which is critical to the welfare of the Limpopo society in particular, and the South African society in general.