Nearly 500 public servants currently on paid suspension - Buthelezi

CAPE TOWN - Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi said that nearly 500 public servants were on paid suspension, some for over five years.

Buthelezi said that this was contained in information captured on the state’s personnel salary system as at the end of July this year.

These included teachers and officials from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Buthelezi was responding to a parliamentary question on the number of public servants currently on paid suspension and the length of their suspensions.

Minister Buthelezi said that the latest information indicated that 288 public servants from national departments and 183 from provincial departments were on paid suspension.

Buthelezi said the longest period that a public servant had spent while on paid suspension in the 2023-24 financial year was five years.

A further breakdown of the figures shows that 54 employees were suspended for a period longer than one year.

Of the 54 employees on suspension, 17 are from the education sector and eight from the NPA.

Buthelezi said that these cases were considered complex cases and could not be finalised within the prescribed period.

He said that in the education sector, cases involving teachers "committing sexual transgressions against learners" were referred to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and these teachers could not be considered for precautionary transfers.