Parliament, Wednesday, 4 June 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration on Tuesday called for better alignment between graduate recruitment and long-term employment planning in the public service, particularly in light of South Africa’s ageing public service workforce.
The committee received a briefing from the Department of Public Service and Administration on the development and employment of young people in the public sector. The Public Service Commission also briefed the committee on the management of leave benefits in the public service.
The discussion on youth employment trends in the public sector comes at a critical juncture when the country celebrates Youth Month, highlighting the urgency of investing in the next generation of public servants.
The committee heard that in 2025, youth account for approximately 27% of public servants, totalling over 347,000 individuals who fall within the 31- to 35-year-old age group. The highest youth representation was in administrative, finance, supply chain and technical roles, with women constituting the majority of youth employees in the public sector. Members were also informed of several systemic challenges, including the budget constraints that impact the creation of posts and the low absorption of interns following their internships. Among the measures the department will use to address this is to enforce youth hiring targets in departments’ annual performance plans and scale up partnerships. The committee also heard that the department is developing a policy proposal to introduce a voluntary early retirement scheme, which would enable older public servants to exit without incurring financial penalties. This will help open up more employment opportunities for young people.
Noting the progress, members stressed that short-term placements without certification or skills recognition do not constitute meaningful empowerment. The committee called for formalised exit pathways and proper mentorship models for interns and graduates. Members also questioned the fairness and transparency of recruitment practices across departments, calling for more transparent recruitment processes and improved communication about opportunities.
While appreciating efforts to remove unjustified barriers, such as experience requirements, some members were concerned about nepotism in placements, which they felt undermined the value of graduate internships. Concerns were also raised that interns are often assigned to menial tasks unrelated to their training and are not provided with sufficient supervision or exit interviews to assess the programme’s impact.
In the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) presentation on the review of public sector leave utilisation from 2020 to 2023, capped leave emerged as a big concern. The committee was informed that by the end of 2023, capped leave, as a contingent liability, was valued at R16 billion. This figure continues to grow due to inflation adjustments, salary notch increases, and other factors, and most of this liability lies in the education and health sectors, where a significant portion of the workforce holds substantial leave credits. The PSC warned that, beyond the financial risks, a looming human capital crisis is also looming, as many of these leave-holding employees are approaching retirement.
Noting the presentation, the committee raised serious concerns about the high rates of sick and incapacity leave, particularly in the health and education sectors. Members called for better ways of verifying the legitimacy of medical certificates and investigating suspected patterns of abuse. The unequal distribution of study leave benefits, which appears to favour senior management over lower occupational levels such as cleaners and clerical staff, was another concern members expressed.
The committee called for transparent oversight of senior management’s leave utilisation and for improved reporting on provincial disparities in access to leave benefits. There was also a call for improved data on the demographic breakdown of those accessing various forms of leave, as this information can be key to workforce planning and professional development.
Committee Chairperson Mr Jan de Villiers said that building a capable government requires a culture of good governance, and professionalising the public service through strong human resource management practices is key to this. He reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to building a capable and professional public service. “Today’s presentations reflected the dual importance of efficient leave management and purposeful youth development. It is not just about employing young people. It is about creating developmental pathways for them to grow within the public sector,” he said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PC ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION, MR JAN DE VILLIERS.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s media officer:
Name: Alicestine October (Ms)
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E-mail: aoctober@parliament.gov.za
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