DPSA aims to halt civil servants being home on paid leave while facing disciplinary steps

CAPE TOWN - The Public Service and Administration Department said it wants to put a stop to civil servants sitting at home on paid leave, sometimes for years, while disciplinary matters against them drag on. 

It says it’s already been redeploying employees who are on precautionary suspension to other divisions or departments. 

Launching Public Service Month on Monday, Minister Mzamo Buthelezi said that the Government of National Unity (GNU) had the political will to professionalise the civil service.

Buthelezi said that Public Service Month was not a public relations exercise but rather a reminder to the 1.3 million public servants that they must make every citizen feel the tangible impact of good governance in their daily lives. 

However, where public servants are found wanting, they won’t be allowed to sit at home while they face disciplinary steps. 

"They are transferred to other departments for them to use their skills, qualifications to benefit another department, unit or entity within the public service. This has proved to work well and has saved government a lot of money."

By the end of February, the department says it’s been able to resolve more than half of the 250 cases of long overdue suspensions.

Twenty provincial departments have been able to resolve 40% of cases.