By January 2021, 6 344 public servants across the country had been “actively” suspended, with full pay, until their disciplinary cases are finalised.
Salary expenditure for suspended officials for the current 2020-21 financial year amounted to over R2 billion by the end of January.
During the 2019-20 financial year, a whopping R2.4 billion was spent on salaries for suspended officials.
Public Service and Administration Minister, Senzo Mchunu, said there were 292 officials in provincial departments across the country currently on suspension, reports News24.
Gauteng has 94 suspended officials, KwaZulu-Natal 43, the Northern Cape 31, and Western Cape 25. Mchunu added that there were 6 052 officials on suspension at national government departments.
Most of these officials are on a salary scales ranging between levels five and nine.
More than 3 000 officials are on suspension for disciplinary offences not identified or indicated.
Mchunu said the offences include:
- Absent from work without reason or permission;
- Accepting compensation without approval from employer;
- Damages and/or causes loss of state property;
- Endangering lives by disregarding safety rules;
- Falsifying records or documents;
- Misusing position to promote political party;
- Money lending schemes during office hours and on premises of state;
- Sexual harassment;
- Sleeping on duty without approval,
Some of the officials were suspended for up to 21 months.
Photo: EWN