Nearly R50 million has been paid out to the about 400 public servants who are currently on paid suspensions, according to report the City Press newspaper reported on Sunday.
According to the Public Service and Administration department, 238 employees currently suspended from national departments have already received approximately R27 million in terms of salaries and benefits; while 163 employees currently suspended from provincial departments have received R20 million thus far, the City Press newspaper reported on Sunday.
The most common reason for suspension was misconduct: including for assault, dishonesty, corruption and fraud.
A number of disciplinary hearing cases were postponed -- sometimes for years -- due to a variety of delays including medical reasons, the unavailability of various parties, lawyers' need to prepare and the reluctance of officials to participate.
Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane's spokesman Brent Simons said that the minister wanted to speed up or change the system dealing with suspensions.
"If someone is suspended with full pay, the suspension must be reviewed within 30 days," Simons told the newspaper.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.