Netwerk24 reports that the number of state officials in national departments will be cut in the next two years by about 4.27% as a result of savings announced by the minister of finance, Pravin Gordhan, on Wednesday.
About 434,111 officials work in the national departments, but in the following two years they’re going to be reduced by 18,546. Reductions in provincial and municipal budgets mean that there will be just as much or more pressure for jobs cuts in those areas. Lungisa Fuzile, director-general, said on Wednesday that the reductions will be effected through jobs not being filled when officials resign, retirements or voluntary separation packages. However the reductions might not be sufficient and compulsory separations might have to be considered. Experts expect that the whole public service will eventually be reduced by just over 100,000 posts. The department of defence, and thus the defence forced, will be the worst affected.
- Read this report by Jan de Lange in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (limit on access)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page