Question NW2790 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
22 September 2023 - NW2790
Mgweba, Ms T to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What (a) is the current vacancy rate in the Public Service for funded positions and (b) are the details of the detrimental impact that the vacancy rate has on government service delivery in the Republic?
Reply:
a) It should be noted that the Public Service only recognises funded posts as all unfunded posts should be abolished in terms of the applicable prescripts. The latest information on PERSAL reflects a quarterly vacancy rate of 13.31% for the Public Service as of 30 June 2023 (1st Quarter 2023/2024). This is 3.31% above the set target of 10% for the Public Service, however, it represents a significant improvement over the immediate past medium term period, which illustrate the positive effect of the support provided by the DPSA to departments on employment management and human resource planning.
b) As the management of vacancies is a decentralised function to the relevant executive authorities of the Departments, individual departments may possess nuanced insights into the specific impact of vacancies on their mandates and service delivery. It should be noted that in general, a high vacancy rate has broad implications for the efficacy and efficiency of government services across the Republic. The DPSA, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the AG-SA to improve the monitoring of these employment norms to ensure that services are not compromised. Working with the Public Service Commission and the National Treasury, the DPSA will also ensure that all critical posts are prioritised for filling, with a specific focus on frontline staff.
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