South African Government Spends R131 Million a Year on Salaries for 305 Suspended Public Servants

• The Department of Public Service and Administration says it spends over R100 million paying salaries to suspended workers
• The Department of Home Affairs has the most number of suspended employees still on the payroll
• These suspended public servants are still on the government's payroll because it is against the law to suspend individuals without pay

JOHANNESBURG - The South African government has spent more than R131 million to pay 305 public servants sitting at home because they are suspended with full pay.

That translates to the state paying R403 000 per suspended public servant on average.

Department of Public Service and Administration acting minister Thulas Nxesi disclosed this information in Parliament after a question was posed by the Demorcatic Alliance MP Dr M M Gondwe.

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According to Business Insider, one suspended official in the public service department earns R4.95 million per year, making him the highest earner. Some officials earn more than R2 million a year sitting at home and not working.

The Department of Home Affairs has the highest number of suspended officials with full pay, with 26 suspended workers. The Home Affairs department is followed by the Department of higher education and training with 12 suspended officials.

The KwaZulu-Natal province accounts for a third of suspended workers, with 75 officials, followed by the Western Cape and the Northern Cape, with 28 officials.

According to BusinessTech, there are currently 79 precautionary suspension cases in national departments, costing the state R40.5 million. These employees still get their full pay because, under South African law, employees cannot be suspended without pay.

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While this might be the case, investigations and hearings into these cases should be conducted as quickly as possible.

Gauteng legal head paid R4.7 million while sitting at home since 2019, SA says it’s “beyond disgusting”

Briefly News previously reported that despite not doing any work, Gauteng Health Department Chief Director of Legal Services Advocate Mpelegeng Lebeloane had been paid R4.7 million. A Public Service Commission (PSC) report found irregularities in her appointment; therefore, she has been off work.

Lebeloane received the payouts between July 2019 to September 2022. Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi confirmed that she was being paid in a written reply to the Gauteng Legislature.

According to News24, the commission recommended the health department apply to the Labour Court to set aside Lebeloane’s transfer from the Department of Water and Sanitation to the Health Department. Despite the department making the application in 2020, the advocate opposed it.

Source: Briefly News