Rejoice Marota arrives at the municipality offices in Brakpan at 8.30am every day and then reads, drinks tea, has lunch and goes home at 4.30pm, the Sowetan newspaper reported.

She has nothing to do at work because she does not have a position.

Marota said she was told she was in a "pool", which meant no position.

According to the report Marota earned a gross salary of R15,000, taking home at the end of the month a net pay of about R9600.

She has also received annual increases and bonuses since 2007. This has been costing ratepayers about R1.8 million.

Marota told the newspaper she was frustrated.

"It has been frustrating to sit around the whole day doing nothing. But I am not complaining about getting paid for sitting around," she was quoted as saying.

"I have been waiting for years to be placed, but nothing happens."

Ekurhuleni municipality spokesman Samuel Modiba said there was no such thing as employees in a "pool".

"The employee is currently deployed to the finance department. The process of securing an alternative position for her is ongoing and a number of options are being explored," Modiba told the newspaper.

He said if Marota was unhappy there were a number of internal avenues should could explore, including lodging a grievance.