President Cyril Ramaphosa has designated Professor Somadoda Fikeni and Zukiswa Mqolomba as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The independent body is empowered to exercise oversight over the public service in South Africa by investigating, monitoring and evaluating its organisation and administration.

“President Ramaphosa wishes Prof Fikeni and Ms Mqolomba well in leading the Commission in its critical mission of contributing to the development of an efficient, ethical and capable Public Service,” the President said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Presidency highlighted that Fikeni has been acting in the position since the end of January this year.

“Prof Fikeni is a Senior Executive Director within the Public Administration leadership and has a PhD in Comparative Politics and Public Policy Analysis. He has lectured Public Administration in several universities, worked as an academic in universities and research institutions, and has experience as a public servant.

“He has served as Chairperson for seven different public and private entities in the last 16 years and was part of the team that designed the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s School of Diplomacy,” the statement said.

Mqolombo will also bring a wealth of experience and academic understanding of the public service to the PSC.

“As Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Ms Zukiswa Mqolomba brings to the position more than 12 years’ experience in the Public Service, eight of which have been at senior management levels. She is an economics researcher, policy analyst and programme manager rooted in economics, poverty and public policy research.

“She holds two Masters Degrees in Public Policy with the University of Cape Town, as well as an MA in Poverty and Development with the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom,” the Presidency said.

Source: South African Government News Agency