Government Agency Spends R200k to Avoid Paying Worker R2k Bonus, South Africans Lose Hope: “Rubbish”

• The Government Pensions Administration Agency has annoyed South Africans by spending R222 447 on legal fees instead of paying an employee their bonus
• The employee was due to get a bonus of R2 083, but the agency decided against the bonus because he missed a deadline
• South Africans say the department's expenditure cannot be justified and everyone is a loser in this case

JOHANNESBURG - South Africans are upset with the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) for spending a whopping R222 447 on legal fees to avoid paying an employee a bonus of R2 083.

The GPAA has defended its decision to spend that much money even though the employee qualified for the said bonus.

The GPAA explains why it denied the employee their bonus

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According to SundayTimes, GPAA spokesperson Mack Lewele says the department had no choice but to defend its position. Lewele explained that the employee failed to comply with the Performance Management and Development Systems (PMDS) policies.

Employees are expected to submit their performance reports to their line managers and later discuss their scores. Lewele stated that the employee failed to avail himself to his line manager to discuss the final score.

Lewele added that the department was not permitted to pay employees a bonus if they had not complied with the PMDS policy and procedures.

Public Servants Association wants GPAA managers to pay back money spent on legal fees

The Public Servants Association (PSA) says the employee did meet the prescribed deadline but was later told to submit his performance report to the manager's supervisor.

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The trade union has called on GPAA CEO Kedibone Madiehe to hold the managers who embarked on legal action against the employee accountable. The PSA argued that money spent on legal fees was "wasteful expenditure" and that the managers should pay back the money, reports SowetanLIVE.

The PSA also believes that the managers could have used the in-house labour relations unit instead of hiring lawyers to deal with the matter.

South Africans lose hope in government

@Dijosti said:

"If the employee didn’t win the case, there’s no winner."

@BvumaMaboko said:

"Rubbish, rubbish, what's this?"

@Nick94481890 said:

"With government departments' track record, how do they justify a performance bonus, that is beyond ridiculous."

@SirGerZA said:

"Absolutely short-sighted as usual."

@RaymondBergman1 said:

"Absurd is the only way to describe it. Seems like Zuma is doing their bookkeeping."

@ZizweKhumalo said

"They should pay from their own pockets and not from members' pockets. What does cost/benefit analysis mean to them?"

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South African government spends R131 million a year on salaries for 305 suspended public servants

Briefly News previously reported that the South African government had spent more than R131 million to pay 305 public servants sitting at home because they were 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 DA MP Dr Mimmy Martha Gondwe.

Source: Briefly News