There are more than 1 500 public servants who are contravening Public Service Regulations and the Public Management Act by doing business with the State in 2020.
This is an increase of more than 400 compared to last year’s figures. The Department of Public Service and Administration revealed this during a virtual briefing in Parliament last week.
The department says the majority of these public servants are in provincial departments.
Public Service Regulations of 2016 prohibits a public servant from doing business with the State while the Public Management Act of 2014 criminalises such a conduct.
Those found guilty are liable for a fine or imprisonment.
However, the department says the number of public servants is going up.
The oversight committee on Public Service and Administration has expressed concern on this matter.
It says it is disappointed with accounting officers who fail to enforce legislation and will identify what it has called “serial leading culprits” and demand accountability.
In the video below, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille warned government employees against doing business with the State:
