Suspended department of Labour employee costing taxpayer R2 million
11 December 2014
The DA can confirm that suspended Chief Director of Legal Services in the Department of Labour, Advocate N. Phasha, is still earning his monthly salary, even though he has not worked a day since his suspension in October 2011, over three years ago.
Advocate Phasha was placed on precautionary suspension on 24 October 2011, for reasons that have been withheld by the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant, the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Collins Chabane, and the Public Service Commission. The disciplinary process is still on-going, and is entering its 39th month.
Using the Department of Labour's annual reports over the last three years, it is estimated that Advocate Phasha could have conservatively accumulated close on R2 million in wages for sitting at home while the disciplinary process ensues.
I have received replies to two parliamentary questions, one to ascertain what Advocate Phasha is earning per month, and the other to determine when this prolonged disciplinary process will come to an end. In both replies, the Minister of Labour did not answer my questions.