Hundreds of Suspended Public Servants Still Paid While Sitting at Home
A staggering 471 civil servants in South Africa are being paid their full salaries despite being on suspension, according to Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi. Responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Sixolise Gcilishe, Buthelezi revealed that 288 public servants from national departments and 183 from provincial departments remained on paid suspension by the end of July 2024.
Of these, 54 employees had been suspended for over a year, with the longest suspension period stretching to five years. Departments such as Defence, Higher Education, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and provincial education sectors were cited as having the longest suspension durations.
Buthelezi explained that 17 suspended employees were from the education sector, and eight from the NPA, with these cases being particularly complex. Education sector cases involving sexual misconduct by teachers are often referred to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), which is currently dealing with a backlog, delaying case resolutions. Similarly, in the NPA, allegations of corruption and fraud have led to lengthy delays due to legal challenges and efforts to interdict disciplinary proceedings.
In response to these prolonged suspensions, Buthelezi announced a new directive for discipline management. This directive encourages timely hearings and the precautionary transfer of suspended officials to other departments or units, allowing them to use their skills while disciplinary processes unfold.
Earlier this month, the Department of Public Service and Administration reported a 53% reduction in disciplinary backlogs, thanks to a pilot project launched last year. The project has helped resolve long-standing cases in national and provincial departments, significantly reducing the number of ongoing suspensions.
Salomon Hoogenraad-Vermaak, chief director of the Public Administration Ethics, Integrity, and Disciplinary Technical Assistance Unit, noted that between national and provincial departments, 133 and 172 cases were resolved respectively, contributing to a noticeable decline in suspensions by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
Despite these efforts, the issue of long-term paid suspensions continues to be a costly challenge for the public service sector.
Of these, 54 employees had been suspended for over a year, with the longest suspension period stretching to five years. Departments such as Defence, Higher Education, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and provincial education sectors were cited as having the longest suspension durations.
Buthelezi explained that 17 suspended employees were from the education sector, and eight from the NPA, with these cases being particularly complex. Education sector cases involving sexual misconduct by teachers are often referred to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), which is currently dealing with a backlog, delaying case resolutions. Similarly, in the NPA, allegations of corruption and fraud have led to lengthy delays due to legal challenges and efforts to interdict disciplinary proceedings.
In response to these prolonged suspensions, Buthelezi announced a new directive for discipline management. This directive encourages timely hearings and the precautionary transfer of suspended officials to other departments or units, allowing them to use their skills while disciplinary processes unfold.
Earlier this month, the Department of Public Service and Administration reported a 53% reduction in disciplinary backlogs, thanks to a pilot project launched last year. The project has helped resolve long-standing cases in national and provincial departments, significantly reducing the number of ongoing suspensions.
Salomon Hoogenraad-Vermaak, chief director of the Public Administration Ethics, Integrity, and Disciplinary Technical Assistance Unit, noted that between national and provincial departments, 133 and 172 cases were resolved respectively, contributing to a noticeable decline in suspensions by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
Despite these efforts, the issue of long-term paid suspensions continues to be a costly challenge for the public service sector.
