In a written reply by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) dated 30 June 2022, to a parliamentary question asked by the Democratic Alliance (DA), it was revealed that a total of R130 million in salaries was paid to 305 suspended government workers while they sat on their hands. R90 million was paid to provincial and R40 million to national departments.
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As reported by The Citizen, the National Department of Public Service and Administration and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure spent R4 951 979 and R3 957 066 respectively, with the Department of Military Veterans, which falls under the Department of Defence, spending R3 778 958.91 on salaries to suspended staff.
Here is how much each province spent on salaries for its suspended public servants in the provincial departments:
- KwaZulu-Natal: R33 531 043.58
- Northern Cape: R24 761 416.19
- North West: R12 544 581.62
- Gauteng: R7 599 735.06
- Free State: R6 281 642.45
- Mpumalanga: R2 837 806.82
- Western Cape: R1 942 143.80
- Eastern Cape: R1 208 961.00
According to the DA Deputy Minister of Parliament, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, the amount paid to the suspended staff is much higher than R130 million due to some of the information being omitted from the written reply, and she calls it a “discipline management crisis in South Africa’s public service.”
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Picture: Democratic Alliance / Facebook