A former senior premier’s office personnel officer and one of the panellists who shortlisted, interviewed and recommended Sizwe Kupelo for a communication officer post has rejected Kupelo’s defence that he was hired based on short-course qualifications.
He labelled it an improbable scenario and dismissed it as “just a made-up story”.
It is the defence’s case that Kupelo was called by a Ms Mqu, who worked for former office of the premier communications director Manelisi Wolela, and requested to apply, and he had submitted his application in person to the office of Mqu.
He had then been called to an interview and was ultimately appointed. Wolela chaired the panel that interviewed and recommended Kupelo.
Testifying in the East London commercial crimes court on Friday, Mxolisi Tokota said the position had been advertised in newspapers and was open to the market.
“There was no headhunting involved,” Tokota said, answering questions by Kupelo’s legal representative, advocate Mncedisi Simoyi.
Simoyi said it was Kupelo’s version that he had nothad a matric certificate when he applied and was never appointed on the basis of a certificate, but on the basis of a short course.
Tokota said Kupelo’s application, from his recollection, had been among the applications which were brought and captured on the master list for purposes of shortlisting
He said five candidates had been shortlisted for two positions.
“No headhunting was done,' he said.
“In this instance, there were four recommendations, and this was an open interview.
“There was no need for headhunting.
“Headhunting would be done if there were no suitable candidates from those interviewed”
Tokota said he had heard of the fraud, forgery and uttering allegations against Kupelo in about 2021/2022.
Kupelo has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Tokota was adamant that he had seen Kupelo’s matric certificate in his application.
“I’ve seen the certificate with other certificates that were accompanying the application,” he said.
“He would not have been shortlisted if he didn’t have a Standard 10 qualification.
“At that point in the public service, matric was the requirement for entry into any post as a bare minimum.
“It would have been impossible to even shortlist a candidate who had an application without the minimum requirement, in this instance, which is a matric, and further to appoint that candidate without a matric.
“It is hard to believe that anyone in public service will be appointed without minimum requirements.
“I recall during the interview stage when there was a discussion in the panel about the tertiary qualifications on suitability.
“There was some discomfort that the applicant didn’t possess post-matric qualifications, but that was motivated by the certificates he had in his CV, together with his experience.
“I have seen the certificate because there was quite a lengthy discussion about the applicant not having post-matric qualifications.
“The matric certificate gave comfort to the panel, and that he had some certificates attached to show that he was in the media or communication space, hence the panel was comfortable to continue with the interview.
“The chair of the panel sort of gave a motivation,” he said.
The court heard that the file with Kupelo’s application and interview processes was missing.
Tokota said the evidence was from his memory, and Simoyi put to him that it was highly improbable he would be in a position to remember each document submitted.
“It is very rare for anyone, that’s a memory I have. I can say it’s one of the skills.”
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.