Parliament, Monday, 4 May 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration has noted media reports that hundreds of public servants remain suspended with full pay, costing the state about R800 million a year.
Over the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that more than 670 public servants from the national and provincial administrations are on suspension with full pay.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Jan de Villiers, said these reports are very concerning. “It not only places an additional burden on an already financially stretched state, but these prolonged suspensions point to serious weaknesses in discipline management and consequence management,” he said.
The Chairperson also emphasised that the suspensions, which last well beyond the 90-day timeframe for finalising disciplinary proceedings, cannot be viewed in isolation. The committee has, in previous engagements with the Department of Public Service and Administration, highlighted the importance of the central register for discipline management as a critical intervention to build a capable and ethical state.
The latest reports on prolonged suspensions with full pay reinforce the committee’s long-standing concern that the public service cannot continue to tolerate systems that weaken accountability processes while taxpayers carry the cost, said Mr de Villiers. “These prolonged suspensions raise questions about governance, enforcement and the public service’s capacity to manage its disciplinary system.
“The committee will request the Minister of Public Service and Administration to brief the committee on the reasons disciplinary matters remain unresolved beyond prescribed timeframes and the corrective steps the department is taking,” said Mr de Villiers. The Minister and department will also have to provide statistics on the number of public servants currently on suspension and the costs to the state. The committee will also seek an update on the implementation and effectiveness of the central register for discipline management.
The Chairperson said these prolonged suspensions must be considered alongside all the concerns the committee has been raising about the integrity of the public service payroll, particularly with the phenomenon of ghost workers. “All these issues add up and contribute to the inflation of the public sector wage bill,” he said.
“Whether it is ghost workers, prolonged suspensions with full pay or unresolved disciplinary cases, with the ‘revolving door’ phenomenon, these are systemic weaknesses with a real-life impact as much-needed funds are diverted from critical services,” said the Chairperson. “They highlight the need for creating a culture of accountability, where wrongdoing, when proven, has consequences, including recovery of monies, arrests and prosecutions where warranted.”
Mr de Villiers said building a capable and ethical state requires a professional public service in which discipline is applied fairly, consistently and without delay. “Public servants must be protected from unfair processes, but the state must also ensure that misconduct is dealt with decisively and that public funds are not wasted through avoidable administrative failures,” he said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE 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)
Cell: 083 665 4345
E-mail: aoctober@parliament.gov.za
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