05 Mar 2023

The Assistant Minister for State President has confirmed the existence of a Civil Case Management System at the Attorney General’s Chambers that gives summary of case files between government and its employees.

Answering a question in Parliament recently, Assistant Minister Dumezweni Mthimkhulu said currently the system had 9 527 case files out of which 6 090 or 63 per cent were matters in which government was sued.

Mr Mthimkhulu said majority of the defense cases dealt with unemployment related matters in which public officers had brought claims on a variety of issues arising at the workplace.

He added that 1 658 or 17.4 per cent were claims matters in which government was suing while 1 769 or 18.6 per cent were garnishees orders issued against public officers.

“Looking at the size of the public service of almost 130 000, a level of disputes of less than 6 000 which is within the range of best labour practice of 10 per cent by five per cent is reasonable,” he said. Again, he said majority of the cases included human resource issues that began at ministry level and ended up at Court or Arbitration.

“DPSM has put in place a monthly reporting tool which ministries submit on grievance and disputes which will help monitor employee related issues thus reducing the frequency of HR related court cases,” he added.

Furthermore, the assistant minister said the system would help close gaps and reconcile data that the Attorney General had and those reported by ministries.

“The Attorney General and DPSM are currently exploring the feasibility of the extent to which the Attorney General’s Chambers Case Management System can synergise with the DPSM’s Human Resource Information Management System,” he said.

Parliament also heard that currently there was an ongoing review of disciplinary procedures involving government and public service unions which had resulted from a collective labour agreement concluded by the parties.

Member of Parliament for Palapye, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had asked the minister to state the number of cases of public servants employees in each ministry who had won cases of unfair suspension, dismissal, illegal termination of contracts at courts in the past five years.

Mr Ramogapi also wanted to know the total amount spent on legal costs per court case, compensation or back pay in case of reinstatement per court case and ministry.

He further asked if there was any action taken against wrongdoers who suspended, dismissed employees and terminated contracts without proper procedure. ends