R30m for bonuses is statutory, says Mokonyane

WATER and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has defended the R30 million paid out in bonuses to officials in her department during the 2016-17 financial year.

Responding to written questions from the DA’s Anchen Dreyer, Mokonyane said her department had been following regulations in paying out the bonuses.

She said the 1.5% of the total provision for salaries was allocated towards payments in respect of the outcomes of performance reviews.

“This regulation is provided for by the Department of Public Service and Administration.

“My department has complied with the regulation and a total of 1 961 employees qualified for performance bonuses,” she said.

Two officials at senior management service levels pocketed R58 092.84 and R69 069.60 in bonuses respectively and the rest shared between them the balance of the R30m.

The officials are set to receive other bonuses when this financial year ends.

“Performance rewards for the 2017-18 financial year have not been finalised, as the financial year ends in March 2018,” Mokonyane said when asked about the estimated amount to be paid out in bonuses this financial year.

The bonuses were paid out despite the department overspending its budget by R110m and also being found to have incurred unauthorised expenditure to the tune of R406m in 2016-17.