Public servants’ salaries won’t be affected by review, says department
JOHANNESBURG - Public servants should not be concerned about the effect of a Personnel Expenditure Review (PER) on their salaries, according to the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).
The department issued a statement last week clarifying the status of a new request for proposals document on the review.
It is embarking on the review to obtain recommendations for the government to use to develop a new remuneration policy framework for the public sector.
"The PER takes place at frequent intervals and over the years, the DPSA has embarked on a number of PERs to conduct research into, and review the public service remuneration framework and practices. This will be the fourth time that the PER is being conducted," said director-general Yoliswa Makhasi.
The new remuneration framework, conducted in consultation with other key stakeholders, focuses on reforms in areas such as salaries, benefits and incentives. The intention is to achieve "a greater degree of alignment" in the salaries and benefits across the public sector over time, the statement read.
The review focuses on the public service and the broader public sector, including municipalities and public entities.
South Africa's public service wage bill is higher than the global norm, a 2020 study shows.
Compensation accounted for just over a third (34 percent) of government spending in the 2019/20 fiscal year.
Compensation was one of government's fastest growing expenditure item between 2006/07 and 2019/20 - it even outpaced the rate of GDP growth, according to the Treasury.
Part of National Treasury's fiscal consolidation plan involves expenditure cuts - largely from the wage bill.