Question NW3554 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
10 November 2023 - NW3554
Mkhonto, Ms C N to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
(1)What total number of officials have been subjected to disciplinary proceedings directly related to the poor performance of the (a) Unemployment Insurance Fund and (b) Compensation Fund; (2) what specific steps have been taken to ensure that the former Commissioner of the Compensation Fund is not redeployed to other government departments and entities while the investigations about his alleged role in the poor performance of the Fund are underway?
Reply:
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND
During the period 2022/23 the Unemployment Insurance Fund issued Intent to Discipline letters to eight (8) SMS members for the Fund’s poor performance in Quarter 2 (decline in performance from Quarter 1 to Quarter 2). This resulted in improved performance in Quarter 3. In addition, one (1) SMS member was disciplined for poor performance and dereliction of duties and issued with a Final Written Warning.
COMPENSATION FUND
For the current financial year 2023/2024, the Fund routed two separate submissions to the DG to approve the intention to institute progressive discipline action against two Senior Managers found to be performing poorly in their respective responsibilities. As per the disciplinary protocols in public sector the disciplinary letters will inform the employees of the respective charge and will afford them right of reply. The reply will be reviewed and further action will be taken. The compensation fund is awaiting the approval of the submission. The Fund has also had a 50% resignation of Chief directors and Directors end of 2022 before disciplinary action could be taken for poor performance
In terms of the Chapter 7 of the senior management handbook and the Public Service Act. The pieces of legislation do not make provision for the employer to take steps to ensure that no person is employed pending investigation. The only issue that is commonly practiced in the public service is that once the investigation is complete with recommendations to institute disciplinary action against the said officer, the report should be forwarded to a new employer to implement the recommendations or to request that the new employer continue with the investigation if the process of investigation was not completed by the former employer due to the officer resigned. When the former Commissioner resigned there was no investigation into his performance.