Basic Education: Backlog of almost 23 000 incapacity and ill-health retirement applications
28 July 2014
A reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed that the backlog of 22 882 incapacity leave and ill-health retirement applications, accumulated by November 2013 across the nine provincial departments of education, has still not been dealt with, nine months later.
More worryingly, the backlog - as revealed to the DA in a reply to a question last year - has not decreased at all.
Incapacity leave is sick leave in addition to that allowed for in educators' conditions of service. If an application is made, it is deemed approved by the province until it has been officially processed. This means that the applicant is paid a full salary and is excused from teaching duties for the period of application. Very often, in provinces such as the Eastern Cape, the provincial budget and bureaucracy preclude a substitute teacher from being appointed during this time of absence, and learners potentially go untaught.
It is particularly the backlog of 7 489 applications for long-term ill-health incapacity that is concerning. It is unclear how long these teachers have been on leave, and if for legitimate reasons. Indeed, until the applications are processed, no action can be taken against those who are not legitimately unwell.