The Democratic Alliance has revealed that some government employees continue to receive pay more than two years after being suspended.<\/p>\n
A reply to a DA parliamentary question revealed that there are 69 employees of national and provincial departments who have been placed on suspension for more than six months, pending disciplinary action, at a cost of R136.5 million since 1 April 2016.<\/p>\n
The DA noted that the R136.5 million total cost on the precautionary suspensions is made up of R24 million in national departments and R112.5 million in provincial departments.<\/p>\n
The political party said that it will be submitting further parliamentary questions to find out exactly why it has taken so long to conclude disciplinary action.<\/p>\n
Of the 69 employees currently on suspension, 45 are from national departments and 24 from provincial departments.<\/p>\n
“Alarmingly, four of the provincial employees have been suspended for more than a year and five for more than two years.<\/p>\n
“It is astounding that so much money has been paid in salaries because the respective departments have failed to efficiently conclude disciplinary action,” said Desiree Van Der Walt, DA shadow minister of public service and administration<\/p>\n