471 Suspended Government Workers Receive Salaries, Defence Force Employee on Payroll for 5 Years

• Over 400 government workers are still earning salaries even though they are suspended
• A suspended member of the South African Defence Force has been receiving his salary for five years
• South Africans are disgusted that government employees are getting paid for sitting at home

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues.

471 government employees are still getting salaries for doing nothing in the past financial year.

That figure has been confirmed by the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mzamo Buthelezi, in response to a recent parliamentary question.

When asked about the number of public servants on paid suspension, Buthelezi detailed which sectors had the most cases and which had the longest active current cases.

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Defence Force employee suspended for five years

As News24 noted, the minister noted that an employee in the South African Defence Force had been suspended with pay for the past five years.

While that is the longest period an employee has received a salary despite being suspended, it’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding the problem.

Buthelezi also noted that four individuals were suspended with pay for over four years, while 16 others were getting paid without providing a service for the past two years.

Which departments are most affected?

Gauteng’s Department of Economic Development and Human Settlements and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education are among the problem departments.

The National Prosecuting Authority also accounted for several complex suspensions that could not be finalised within the prescribed period.

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South Africans weigh in on latest figure

Social media users voiced their opinions on the number of people they were divided on their thoughts.

Some were unsurprised by the latest figures, while others were dismayed that so much of the population lived in poverty while others were getting paid for nothing.

Aubrey Vukeya said:

“It’s not something that shocks us. It’s normal in all government departments. Even if it was 10 years, we would not be shocked.”

Sam Mosehle added:

“That's the ANC government for you. There's no accountability, and believe me, there are still a lot of scandals to date. Just wait, you'll hear.”

Charmaine Collard stated:

“Disgusting...and then we have people living in poverty.”

Ivan van Heerden added:

“What a time to be a Comrade! Money for mahala, while children drown in pit toilets. Viva ANC Viva.”

Lazarus Rabothatat was upset:

“This is totally abnormal and disgusting. Normal suspension is three months. This must be stopped.”

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Kevin K K Naidoo added:

“Now that's ridiculous. Because of an incompetent government, other people are starving.”

Neo Mohaole joked:

“Most government employees are getting paid for doing nothing anyway. The system is always off and they think that servicing the community is a favour. The ones coming to work are the same as the ones not coming to work.”

Over 1,200 ghost workers employed at PRASA

Briefly News previously reported that an investigation was launched into allegations of 1,200 ghost workers at Passenger Rail Agency South Africa.

It was believed that 1,200 PRASA employees were receiving a salary despite no trace of them actually existing.

The SIU’s investigation comes after PRASA took action against fraud and already removed 1 000 non-existent employees from their payroll.

Source: Briefly News