Question NW3388 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
21 September 2015 - NW3388
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
With reference to his reply to question 1947 on 18 June 2015, has there been punitive measures taken against managers in the Public Service who have allowed long periods of incapacity leave to public servants under their management not due to such public servants; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
An employee’s applications for long periods of incapacity leave must in terms of the Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave be dealt with in keeping with defined time frames. The Head of Department has the authority to consider such an application taking into account all available information such as the employee’s application, additional medical information, including the advice of the Health Risk Manager. Managers are in terms of their core management responsibilities as defined in their core management criteria (CMC’s), responsible for the management of their staff. Therefore, if a manager fails to properly manage long periods of incapacity leave, the relevant Executive Authority and/or Head of Department can discipline that particular manager for not executing his/her responsibilities. Therefore relevant Heads Department (HODs) are in a better position to indicate the measures taken in this regard.
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