Durban — The Public Servants Association (PSA) has discovered that the state has paid R131 million in salaries to 1 062 employees who were placed on precautionary suspension by their employer over the past two years.
In KwaZulu-Natal, DA MPL Imran Keeka claimed that in the Department of Education (DoE) one of the two officials who were suspended in March 2021, was paid a bonus in July despite sitting at home.
Keeka said the report was submitted to members of KZN’s Education portfolio committee at a meeting. According to the report, one official was suspended in 2020 and the other in 2021, yet the dates for their hearings were only set down to proceed last month.
In the report, the department’s director of legal services, Ntokozo Maphumulo, said the suspended manager was paid R590 119 and a bonus of R116 922 in July.
Maphumulo said attorneys are handling the matter on behalf of the department. The lawyers appeared for arbitration before the commissioner and arguments were made on behalf of the department that there be a referral for unfair labour practice.
The matter proceeded on September 15, 2022.
Keeka said the reasons for the suspension of the officials and other questions by the DA during the portfolio committee meeting went unanswered, particularly those relating to the payment of the bonus.
Keeka was told he would receive a response next month.
Keeka has written parliamentary questions to KZN Education MEC Mbali Frazer with the hope the details of the cost involved and reasons for the suspensions will be given.
“This is very worrying given that senior departmental officials were all in attendance and in a position to give answers.
“Being suspended with pay for long periods of time while others are overburdened as a result of taking on their workloads can only have a negative effect on the department’s overall performance,” Keeka said.
This was poor accountability and a complete lack of care in how the department’s finances and resources are managed, he said.
PSA union leader Tahir Maepa said suspended employees should have returned to work after the employer failed to conclude the hearing within 60 calendar days.
Maepa said the situation is worsened by the state’s inability to fill vacant positions owing to cost-containment measures despite the PSA’s call for the filling of these posts to ensure quality, professional service to the public.
The PSA believes this failure can be attributed to incompetence in the departments’ labour relations sections and an inability to investigate these cases.
“In many cases handled by the PSA, it is clear there is an abuse of power where employees were suspended without just cause with no intention to deal with the matter to demonstrate power.”
The PSA said 2 364 senior managers were recently found to be without the required qualifications. Maepa said this was worrisome as the employer is taking advantage of the fact that labour is not sitting in interviews to observe the process, as done with lower-level positions.
KZN Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the suspension is with full pay which includes service bonus and salary adjustments. “If officials are suspended with pay they still get their benefits.”
Daily News