Question NW81 to the Minister of Social Development
28 February 2022 - NW81
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Social Development
(a) What are the reasons that 19 funded vacant posts have been frozen in the 2021-22 financial year and (b) by what date will the specified vacancies be filled?
Reply:
(a) Due to a moratorium that was placed during March 2018 on the process of filling posts as well as the financial constraints experienced by the Department as a result of the drastic budget cuts to the compensation budget, the Department could not fill all its vacant posts and commenced with a process of prioritising critical posts to be filled.
The National Department did not freeze any vacant posts on its approved post establishment during 2021-22 financial year.
Due to the reduction in the compensation budget of the Department, not all funded vacant posts may be filled, and the Department is currently undergoing a prioritisation process in this regard.
The Department also identified other critical skills that are required in the Organisation, these include data analysts, researchers, economists and policy developers. This will necessitate a re-prioritisation of posts thus impacting on the vacant posts.
The prioritisation process is crucial as it will ensure that the Department does not overspend on the compensation budget over the medium term.
(b) The filling of vacant posts is an ongoing process, as one post is filled, another becomes vacant. The filling of posts are therefore always at various stages of the recruitment process.