Parliament, Wednesday, 13 November 2019 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration today received briefings from the Departments of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, and Public Works and Infrastructure on implementation and compliance with the Performance Management Development System (PMDS).

Whilst all three departments presented their budgets and allocations for performance bonuses, the committee cautioned the departments to work within the 1.5% allocation of their budgets and not to exceed it. High performing public servants must be acknowledged for their contributions, however bonuses should not be the incentive. In the same vein, underperforming public servants must also realise that the 1% increase for being fully effective must not be taken for granted.

The committee Chairperson, Mr Tyotyo James, said: “We have noted that some departments transgress the EMPDS policy. We have received the presentation from the Department of Human Settlements, however the time was not sufficient to adequately question the Department and therefore the committee will be calling the department to return to Parliament to further deliberate and satisfy ourselves that departments are doing what they should be doing, awarding performance bonuses to employees who have went beyond the norms set to achieve the goals and objectives of their unit, division, branch or the department.

“We are taking into account the huge government wage bill, which the Department of Public Service and Administration has been tasked to review. Therefore, bonuses must be accounted for and moderating committees must be able to show that a review of all scoring was done, leaving no room for discrepancies.

“We have noted news reports on the impending loss of 900 jobs at South African Airways (SAA). The Chairperson of the Public Service and Administration calls on SAA and government to do whatever it can to mitigate this. We cannot afford to increase the number of unemployed people in our country.”

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION, MR T.M JAMES

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