DR KHOTSO DE WEE - SECRETARY

CURRICULUM VITAE DR WILLIAM KHOTSO DE WEEdr Khotso small

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Doctor of Philosophy degree in Public Administration, University of the Free State
  • Dissertation Title: ‘The Need for Relevant Management Development Programmes in the Free State Provincial Government’

Doctorate Awarded in 2004

  • Masters Degree in Education, University of Witwatersrand, Focus: Curriculum Development. Research Report Title: ‘A Critical Examination of the Relationship between Decision-Making Structures in a DET-Controlled College of Education’
  • Degree Awarded in June 1993
  • Bachelor of Education, University of Natal, Durban. 
  • Degree Awarded in April 1991
  • Bachelor of Arts in Education (BA Ed), University of the North (Qwaqwa)
  • Major Courses: Education, English. Sub-Major: Geography. 

Degree Awarded in April 1990 

SHORT COURSES 

  1. Completed the Unit Standards 117871; 114924& 115789 all focusing on Facilitation of Learning at NQF  level 5.
  2. Completed ‘Conduct Outcomes-based Assessment’ at NQF-level 5. The Unit Standards Number is 115753
  3. Completed  Conduct Moderation of Outcomes-based Assessments course at NQF-level 6.  The Unit Standard Number is: 115759 

Skills and Knowledge 

  • Leadership Skills
  • Performance Management
  • Project Management
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Development, Implementation and Assessment of Strategic Plans
  • Facilitation skills
  • Assessment of Training Programmes
  • Published Author 

Work Experience 

1 July 2015 to date  

Appointed Executive Director of Fort Hare Solutions, at the University of Fort Hare 

I oversee the institutional administration of Fort Hare Solutions, supervise research and the various  training programmes, as well as facilitate certain training programmes. 

When I joined Fort Hare Solutions the auditors had qualified its financial statements and its relationship with its key stakeholders such as the Eastern Cape Provincial Government was at an all time low. Our financial statements are now unqualified and, on the 23-24 March 2017,  we successfully held a conference whose theme was ‘Effective Partnerships in the implementation of the National Development Plan’, and it was sponsored by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, the National Planning Commission, the Industrial Development Corporation and the Buffalo City Metro Municipality. We currently deliver training programmes to all municipalities in the Eastern Cape, we have been awarded a contract by the National School of Government to deliver management development programmes to public servants in the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal . We also conduct research for the Land Claims Commission focusing on three projects in Limpopo and two in Kwazulu-Natal. 

1 April 2005-to 31 June 2015 

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER- DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

I was the first Chief Operations Officer for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. I established the Office of the COO. I created a new Security and Risk Management Chief Directorate. It provided security to more than 700 courts throughout South Africa, it conducted integrity audits to approximately 22000 public servants in the department, and it also developed the risk management plans of the Department. 

I also created a new Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Chief Directorate of the Department. We found the Department having its financial statements qualified by the auditors and its performance management information also qualified. When I left in 2015 the financial statements of the Department, except for the Third Party Fund, was unqualified and the performance information was also unqualified. 

I created a new Post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission Chief Directorate whose mandate was to trace the victims of apartheid declared by the TRC Commission, as well as create relevant  regulations to support these victims. When I left in 2015, the majority of victims were found and paid their compensation, and regulations on basic and higher education as well as health were developed to look after the education and health needs of victims. I had also identified and consulted with 18 communities throughout the country with the purpose of implementing the community rehabilitation recommendations.  

I also created a Programme Support and Administration Chief Directorate whose focus was to develop the service delivery improvement programme, coordinate donor funding and facilitate the resolution of audit findings raised by internal and external auditors. The service delivery improvement programme unit has achieved the development of service delivery models, the mapping of processes, the development of standard operating procedures, the development and approval of Service charter and approval of the service delivery improvement plan. The department was amongst the top five national departments which achieved between 90-100 % in dealing with presidential hotline complaints. A donor coordination policy was developed and approved. Three donor conferences were held. Donor funding was solicited from USAID,European Union ,the Swiss amongst others. The audit facilitation unit contributed in the achievement of no audit qualification for period of three/ four years.

I also created a Programme Support and Administration Chief Directorate whose focus was to develop the service delivery improvement programme, coordinate donor funding and facilitate the resolution of audit findings raised by internal and external auditors. The service delivery improvement programme unit has achieved the development of service delivery models, the mapping of processes, the development of standard operating procedures, the development and approval of Service Charter and approval of the service delivery improvement plan. The department was amongst the top five national departments which achieved between 90-100 % in dealing with presidential hotline complaints. A donor coordination policy was developed and approved. Three donor conferences were held. Donor funding was solicited from USAID,European Union ,the Swiss amongst others. The audit facilitation unit contributed in the achievement of no audit qualification in 2012/13; 2013/14 and 2014/15 financial years.

I led the process of creating the new Department of the Chief Justice, and I acted as the Secretary-General in the Office of the Chief Justice until the appointment of the permanent Head. I also acted as the Head of the Justice College, and the CEO of the NPA. 

1 October 2011 to 31 March 2013

Acting Secretary-General in the Office of the Chief Justice

I created new systems for procurement, and transferred staff from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and recruited new ones to the new Department of the Chief Justice.  During my tenure  I supported the Chief Justice in his role as Head of the Judiciary by ensuring the Constitutional Court functions efficiently and effectively and relevant structures such as the Heads of Court meetings receive the necessary support. In addition, I also acted as the Accounting Officer and Head of Department in the Office of the Chief Justice.

1 August 2008 to March 2011

Acting Chief Executive Officer 

National Prosecuting Authority of the Republic of South Africa

During this period I ran the administration of the National Prosecuting Authority. It was a difficult period characterized by changes of leadership and political tension. I however managed to stabilize the administration and which led to the acquisition of an unqualified audit the following year.                          

(2000-2005) 

  • Director General and Head of Public Service: Free State Provincial Government: 

I was responsible for running the administration of the Free State Provincial Government, as well as support the Premier to govern the Free State Province. At the time the Provincial Government had about 60 000 public servants. It was a time of tension caused by political factionalism and sensitivities around the transformation of the public service. The administration I led delivered, amongst others, the best matric results at the time,  the best run traffic management division and our health system continued to be one of the best in the country. Working with the Executive Council of the Free State Provincial Government at the time,  I also established the Free State Training and Development Institute. 

(1999-2000)

Acting Director General for the Free State Province

I was requested to act in the vacant position of the Free State Provincial Government ‘s Director-General by the then Premier of the Free State, the Hon Premier Winkie  Direko, MPL.

(1998-2000)

  • Deputy Director-General and Head of the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport  in the Free State Provincial Government  

The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport won an award from the Arrive Alive Campaign for the manner in which it managed traffic flowing through the Free State Province. We were also able to built social infrastructure such as schools and clinics, and  maintained roads in the Free State.

(2001) 

  • Chairperson of Free State Provincial Government’s Agri-Eco (A GOVERNMENT FUNDED COMPANY)

Agri- Eco was a company established by the Free State Provincial Government. Its mandate was to empower emerging farmers in the Free State. Given the inefficiencies and poor performance of the company the Free State Provincial Government decided to close it down and my mandate was to lead the process of closure and transfer assets and liabilities to the relevant provincial government departments.

(1996-1998)

  • DIRECTOR in the Office of the Director-General- National Department of Education

My role was to manage projects delegated to me by the Director- General of the National  Department of Education. This included managing the relationship between the Department and teacher professional associations and Trade Unions, as well as leading the department’s Organizational Transformation Task Team to implement change initiatives such as Affirmative Action, Gender Equality and Open Plan Office Space engineering as well as manage relations with Australian consultants appointed by the Australian government to assist to the new South African government with its transformation processes.

(1992-1995) 

Education Policy Researcher: The Urban Foundation

I was a researcher focusing mainly on teacher development.

(1991) 

Tutor- Education 1 and Higher Diploma in Education (postgraduate) student at the University of the Witwatersrand

I assisted with providing tutorials to post graduate education students.

(1988-1989) 

Tutor-English 1, 2, 3 students at the University of the North (Qwaqwa)

I provided tutorials to undergraduate English students.

(1985) Temporary Teacher-Thari Primary School in Botshabelo (Free State)

I was an unqualified primary school education teacher hired by the Department of Education and Training. 

AWARDS

  • Received a floating trophy for the Best Department in Financial Management in the Free State Provincial Legislature. 2003
  • Rewarded by the Canada International Development Agency for the most Valuable Contribution to the Provincial Twinning Arrangements between Canada and South Africa. 2004 

CONFERENCES 

  1. Addressed the 16th South African Association of Public Administration and Management co-hosted by the University of Fort Hare on the 2-4 May 2016 on the topic “A South African Public Servant: A Personal Encounter”.
  2. Facilitated the Eastern Cape Legislature Leadership Dialogue held on the 13-14 June 2017.

Publications

  1. ‘South Africa’s Democratic Transformational Agenda: A Personal Encounter’ in the Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review Journal Volume 4 (2) June 2016
  2. ‘Is South Africa Ready to be a developmental state?’ in the Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review Journal Volume 4 (3) September 2016

Research 

  1. Currently supervising research on three land claims projects. Two in the Waterberg ( Bakenberg and Bakone Ba Mokerong) and the Moletsi area of Limpopo.