01 Nov 2017

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has sworn in four members of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The four are Mr Simon Hirshchfeld, Ms Kelebogile Lecoge, Ms Koorapetse Boepetswe and Mr Ntshabele Manamela.

President Khama said after swearing them in that he had full confidence in their abilities and wished them well.

Speaking in an interview following the swearing in ceremony, chairperson of the PSC, Mr Hirshchfeld said they were an appeals body responsible for listening and resolving complaints of public officers who may be aggrieved by decisions taken against them by their supervisors or departments during their service.

“After public officers have exhausted all channels of complaints, we are here to help them,” he said.

Director of Public Service Management, Ms Ruth Maphorisa said the country’s constitution provides for the President to appoint members of the PSC under Section 109 of the Constitution on a three-year term.

The members of the commission, she said, were appointed to assist government resolve appeals from public officers.

 However, she noted that before proceeding to the commission, public officers were required to follow all the right channels of the appeal’s procedure when querying decisions taken against them.

“This is the higher authority of appeals in the public service and we encourage and advise public officers to feel free to appeal, if they are not satisfied with the decisions from all channels of appealing,” she said.

The Public Service Commission attends to, among others, appeals relating to dismissals and surcharges. BOPA