Over the weekend, I watched one of those cutesy family movies with the kids. While my kids (vaguely) caught the moral of the story - kindness leads to happiness - I was struck by a whole other realisation.
You see, the movie had the typical sports selection scene: two captains had to choose the children to play on their team one by one. Of course, the most popular children were selected first. The memories this scene ignited were painful, to say the least.
The next day, the Sunday Times ran an article alleging president Thabo Mbeki had blocked the permanent appointment of Telkom`s current acting CEO Reuben September.
Public playground
I would love to say this revelation came as a surprise to me. But the fact is my experience with the public sector has left me with a clouded view as to the basis on which government-sanctioned appointments are made.
Like the playground, government team mates are mostly chosen on the basis of (party) popularity. To a suspicious mind such as mine, it appears that proficiency and knowledge come a distant second.
It is for this reason that I believe government appointments are so often stalled. The State IT Agency went 13 months before a "suitable" candidate could be found. In Telkom`s case, seven months have passed since ex-CEO Papi Molotsane abruptly left the giant.
Playing referee
My experience with the public sector has left me with a clouded view as to the basis on which government-sanctioned appointments are made.
Kimberly Guest, senior journalist, ITWeb
Criticising the time taken to fill roles does not win you any friends either. I am not the first, and will not be the last, to find myself caught in the disdainful glare of a minister in charge of some long drawn-out recruitment process.
Even officials within the organisation are unable to comment on the cause of such delays.
An article I wrote last month noted that one of the reasons Telkom was taking so long to appoint a permanent CEO was because the candidate needed to be sanctioned by government. I hear the person who made this statement felt the extreme heat of public official dissatisfaction.
But is 'The Media` - me included - giving government too hard a time? A few months back, I spoke to several executive-search agencies about how long it takes to fill senior posts. The response? Around two to three months, depending on requirements; four to six weeks, if it is urgent.
Professional foul
In government`s defence, it has less in the way of financial reward to offer possible candidates. Nevertheless, I happen to be aware of several occasions where potential recruits were passed over because they weren`t black enough, political enough, connected enough, and the list goes on.
Democratic Alliance leader and Cape Town mayor Helen Zille says that under her rule, the region`s black economic empowerment procurement policies have led to more empowerment companies getting a look in at the city`s tenders.
The simple reason for this is that cronyism no longer has a place in the evaluation process, she maintains.
Is this just another example of how government appointments are approached?
If it is, I have some Hollywood-inspired advice for our leaders. The most popular people are rarely the most proficient. Sometimes, the underdog does help the team to claim glory. The best leaders are those who surround themselves with those people best equipped for the task at hand.
So choose wisely.
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