Limpopo Works Department Defends Hiring Amid Political Patronage Allegations

Limpopo’s Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure is facing coordinated opposition challenges over its recruitment practices, with three parties alleging that job appointments are being distributed to secure political support ahead of November’s local government elections. The department has rejected the claims as partisan attacks and defended its hiring as compliant with civil service regulations.

ActionSA MP Malebo Patricia Kobe opened the criticism on Thursday, characterizing the department’s recent recruitment drive as a “jobs for comrades network” under the direction of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure MEC Tonny Rachoene. Kobe argued that the visible alignment of appointment announcements with ANC party messaging raised fundamental questions about whether positions were awarded on merit or political affiliation. “The state does not belong to the ANC,” she said, “and public employment should not be treated as a reward for party loyalty.”

Additional reference context is available at https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/is-anc-dishing-out-jobs-to-secure-support-ahead-of-the-elections/.

The appointment of 140 workers, presented by government as progress toward building a capable and ethical state, has become the focal point of the dispute. Kobe contends that the accompanying political celebration undermines that framing entirely. “It creates the unmistakable impression that these appointments are being treated as patronage for ANC loyalists rather than the outcome of a fair, transparent and merit-based recruitment process,” she said. Kobe called on Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson to launch an independent investigation into whether the recruitment process complied with constitutional requirements and the Public Service Act.

The EFF escalated the matter further. The party announced plans to approach the Public Protector’s office to investigate appointments across all provincial departments, with EFF Limpopo provincial chair Makgabo Lawrence Mapoulo alleging that newly appointed recruits are all ANC card-carrying branch members. The EFF contends that cadre deployment, the practice of placing party loyalists in government positions, weakens state institutions, undermines service delivery, and erodes public confidence.

DA MP Nico Pienaar similarly condemned what he characterized as wayward appointments in the Sekhukhune district and Ephraim Mogale local municipalities. Pienaar framed cadre deployment as unconstitutional and argued it prioritizes political loyalty over competence, directly contributing to the collapse of municipal capacity in Limpopo and leaving communities without reliable water, safe roads, or functional infrastructure. The DA has indicated it will demand access to full recruitment and interview records to verify whether due process was followed. Pienaar announced the party would write to Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa requesting urgent intervention.

The department’s response, delivered through spokesperson Emmanuel Mongwe, rejected the characterization of its hiring as politically motivated. Mongwe stated that the department is a public institution serving all residents and should not be drawn into partisan disputes. He acknowledged that public administration and politics are distinct matters but insisted the department follows regulated human resources recruitment processes guided by the Department of Public Service and Administration when appointing qualifying candidates.

According to Mongwe, selection processes occur at district level through dedicated human resources teams. Over a two-year period, the department appointed more than 730 permanent staff members across 36 cost centers throughout the province. Mongwe characterized these appointments as part of efforts to strengthen internal departmental capacity.

By contrast, opposition parties argue that the volume and timing of appointments tell a different story. The allegations center on whether government institutions are functioning as merit-based employers or as vehicles for rewarding political allegiance, a question with direct implications for institutional integrity and public trust, particularly as millions of South Africans remain unemployed.

The department maintains that its recruitment processes comply with applicable regulations and that the scale of appointments reflects genuine operational needs. With local government elections approaching in November and opposition parties signaling their intent to pursue formal investigations through constitutional oversight mechanisms, the question of who ultimately scrutinizes the process, and on what evidentiary basis, remains open.