State recalls public servants to boost delivery
Department heads told to bring staff back to the office
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government has instructed all heads of department to ensure that all public servants return to offices in an effort to bolster service delivery.
Many government employees have been working from home since the start of Covid-19 lockdowns in March 2020, leading to service delivery disruptions.
Public service and administration director-general Yoliswa Makhasi last week wrote to heads of department telling them that they were required to work towards ensuring that 100% of the workforce returns to offices.
This follows the decision of a special cabinet meeting held on January 31, which approved changes to adjusted Level 1 Covid-19 regulations. The changes included that those who test positive but don’t display symptoms do not have to isolate, while the isolation period for those who test positive has been reduced from 10 to seven days.
“Based on the cabinet decision on the changes to adjusted risk alert level 1, heads of departments are required to work towards 100% capacity in the workplace with due regard taken of personnel with comorbidities,” she said.
Delivering his sixth State of the Nation Address on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the country was ready to enter a new phase in the management of the pandemic.
“It is our intention to end the national state of disaster as soon as we have finalised other measures under the National Health Act, 2003 (act 61 of 2003) and other legislation to contain the pandemic. Nearly all restrictions on economic and social activity have already been lifted, ” he said.
Ramaphosa said the government has focused on accelerating vaccine rollout. “Vaccines have proven to be the best defence we have against illness and death from Covid-19. If we all get vaccinated, continue to observe basic health measures and remain ever vigilant, we will be able to get on with our lives even with the virus in our midst.”