Members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence have expressed their unhappiness at the number of officials who are on suspension with full pay in the Department of Defence.
Some of the employees have been on suspension since 2011.
The total salary bill for the 66 suspended individuals stood at R56 million at the end of the 2021 financial year.
The committee has directed Secretary for Defence Sonto Kudjoe to review the suspensions and determine whether they are still justified.
Committee Chairperson Cyril Xaba says where feasible, such officials should be brought back while their cases continue, to avoid wastage.
“‘We also want to see those cases of suspension reviewed as well because people can’t remain on suspension, it doesn’t matter whether they are in uniform or not for a very long time… …of course when you have satisfied yourself that that person won’t temper with evidence, won’t temper with witnesses.”
