Question NW503 to the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
16 March 2021 - NW503
Sarupen, Mr AN to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
(1) Whether any staff member in her department (a) performed work in addition to the responsibilities related to his or her work, outside normal working hours, in the past five financial years and (b) has been performing such work during the period 1 April 2014 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, in each case, how is it determined whether such work is being performed or not; if so, in each case, (i) what number of staff members and (ii) in what job or work categories are the specified staff members employed; (2) whether approval for such work was obtained in each case; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what is the policy of her department in this regard, (b) by whom are such applications considered and approved, (c) what number of contraventions of this policy were brought to the attention of the National Treasury in the past five financial years and (d) what steps have been taken against the transgressors?
Reply:
The Department has advised me as follows:
(1)(a) Yes
(b) By completion and submission of application of approval for Other Remunerative Work and financial disclosures on an annual basis
(i) It differs each year based on the number of applications received each year. (refer to the table below developed from the actual applications and disclosures).
(ii) It differs each year based on the applications received and disclosures made. (refer to the table below developed from the actual applications and disclosures).
Table 1: This table provides the employees that have applied for and disclosed their other remunerative work performed in the past five years:
|
No |
Level |
Other Remunerative Work approved and disclosed in the financial disclosures |
||||
|
2019/20 |
2018/19 |
2017/18 |
2016/17 |
2016/15 |
||
|
Chief Director |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Director |
5 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
Deputy Director |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Assistant Director |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Other lower levels |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
(2) Yes
(a) The policy is in line with the Public Service Act section 30 and Public Service Regulations 2016. The Financial Disclosures Policy further requires employees that are required to complete financial disclosures to disclose any other remunerative work performed. In line with the policies and legislation including section 195 of the RSA Constitution, employees are made aware that they have to complete the relevant forms to request permission to perform other remunerative work, disclose any other remunerative work in their financial disclosures and to ensure:
- The Work of the Department is prioritised (comes first);
- They cannot use the Department’s resources to conduct the other remunerative work;
- They are prohibited from doing business with an organ of state (Regulation 13(c) of the Public Service Regulations 2016; and
- They cannot perform the work during office hours.
(b) There are different levels where they are considered such as:
- Supervisor: - to consider if the work will not interfere with the employee’s Departmental duties and recommend for approval;
- Ethics Officer: - to ensure the correctness of the form and compliance with the relevant legislation and policies; and
- Executive Authority or Delegated Authority: - Approval.
(c) None
(d) N/A
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES