BusinessLive reports that the Treasury has put the screws on public sector employment by cutting the operational budgets of departments in the hope that 25,000 jobs will be lost through attrition over the next three years.  

This follows a reduction by the provinces of 20,000 posts over the past three years.  While the Treasury has fastidiously avoided retrenchments, the adjustments to the budget over the next three years will compel departments to reduce their headcounts.  Operational budgets have been cut 1.2% across the board.  While the health and education budgets will grow in real terms, defence, public order and the safety cluster’s budgets will grow only at a rate of 5.8%, which implies personnel reductions.

• Read this report by Carol Paton and Asha Speckman in full at BusinessLive
• Read too, Government headcount freeze to remain in place, at Business Report
• And also, Vakante poste in staatsdiens nie gevul, at Netwerk24 (limited access)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page