Public Service Day 2022: Restore dignity to Public Service

22 June 2022

Working in the Public Service was viewed as a respectable professional choice and reflected personal pride with financial security protected by various sets of legislation. Such employment was an opportunity for these workers to improve not only their lives but also those of all South Africans through reliable public services.
 
However, in 2022, public servants are left demoralised and unable to produce their best work amidst negative pressures, including being denied fairly negotiated wage increases, being overworking and overburdened as vacancies are not filled, and being made scapegoats for political corruption. Amidst crumbling infrastructure, public servants are exposed to public anger and violence for service-delivery failures that are beyond their control.
 
The Public Servants Association (PSA) calls on government to value the role of public-sector employees in rebuilding the economy and to restore dignity to the Public Service. The battle against corruption must be intensified. Public servants should receive inflation-related increases to keep pace for cost-of-living expenses. The establishment crisis in the Public Service must be addressed by the filling of vacancies and the employment of young professionals.
 
Public servants are duly concerned about the security of their hard-earned pensions. Funds paid to the Government Employees Pension Fund and managed through the Public Investment Corruption (PIC) have been recklessly used by corrupt officials for their own personal gains, as exposed by various commissions of enquiry and where workers are yet to see those involved being held accountable. At the same time, public servants’ pleas for access to their pension investments to assist them in affording decent housing are falling on deaf ears.
 
Whilst the country observes Public Service Day on 23 June 2022, the PSA warns government that the Union will take all appropriate actions to protect and promote the rights and interests of public servants. The PSA will not shy away from calling out government where it is failing its own employees and service delivery.

Issued by Reuben Maleka, PSA, 22 June 2022