Latest news with #BukaniMngoma
The Citizen
04-08-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
R21m for dismissals: Unfair firing of two costs Mpumalanga department dearly
Legal fees add nearly R40m more to the total bill for province department The Mpumalanga department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs has come under fire for spending more than R20 million paying two former employees for unfair dismissal. This information is contained in the department's portfolio committee's recently released report. Mpumalanga department employees dismissed unfairly According to the report, the Labour Court ordered the department to pay R21 million to the two senior officials as their dismissal was found to be both procedurally and substantively unfair. 'The court ordered the department to pay retrospective compensation from the date of dismissal (2009 to 2024) and reinstate the employees,' the report says. The department told the committee that the payments would not affect service delivery because they were drawn from the compensation of employees' allocation. ALSO READ: Municipality granted time to challenge R700k employee payout order According to the document, the department incurred more than R30 million in legal fees associated with the two employees. 'In some circumstances, the department incurred no cost orders as the court did not make an order against the department. The department paid R1 554 000 between October 2024 and March this year, bringing the total amount paid during the 2024-2025 financial year to R39 516 536,' the document reads. Factors that could lead to wrongful dismissals Labour analyst Bukani Mngoma said there were many things that could have contributed to the situation that the department finds itself in. He said it might happen that they were given bad legal advice. 'Sometimes dismissals are wrong and management may know, but they pursue it because it may serve a political consideration, or they want to get rid of an employee who knows too much, or is a stumbling block to doing a corrupt act. ALSO READ: Legal Practice Council administrator accused of corruption loses Labour Court bid 'It is rare that such dismissals are a result of sheer incompetence, as there are too many people involved before an employee is finally dismissed. 'There is no way that in this chain of involvement no-one is picking up that the dismissal will cost the entity heavily,' said Mngoma. Public sector dismissals generally costly Mngoma said dismissals in the public sector were generally costly because of the high salaries employees get compared to those in the private sector. He said the seniority of the employee also made the dismissals even more costly. He added that the other factor was that it takes time before the matter can be finally decided, particularly if the employee was reinstated, because they may need to be paid from the date of dismissal. 'So, the longer the matter has taken, the more expensive reinstatement becomes. I say this because if the employee wins the case but is only compensated, there is a legal capping of 12 months' payment of compensation, irrespective of the period the matter dragged on. 'What I have also noticed is that investigations in the public sector take too long, as they want to get absolute proof as if the matter is in a criminal court.' ALSO READ: Intoxicated doctor loses Labour Court case after claiming white substance was peppermint, not cocaine Tersia Marshall, a DA member in the provincial legislature, has called on the department of public service and administration to consider placing a cap on the number of times it takes government departments to resolve cases of suspended or fired public service employees. Department spokesperson Zanele Shabangu did not respond to questions sent to her on Wednesday.
The South African
08-05-2025
- Health
- The South African
SADAG: Over half of SA workers suffer from mental health issues
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) released the Working Life Survey , which shows that 52% of surveyed workers have received mental health diagnoses. The study found that 32% of participants have depression, 25% suffer from stress, 18% face generalised anxiety disorder, 13% experience burnout, and 10% deal with trauma. The Citizen reported that, Labour analyst Bukani Mngoma said the results didn't surprise him. 'Many employees are taking on extra responsibilities because companies don't replace staff who leave,' he said. 'This job enlargement strategy leaves workers overwhelmed and without proper rest or leave. Clinical psychologist and JVR Africa Group CEO Dr Jopie de Beer said many workers deal with abusive leadership, discrimination, and toxic environments. 'Even those with jobs face deep uncertainty because of weak economic growth. People carry emotional and physical scars from stress inside and outside the workplace,' he said. He noted that stress often leads to physical symptoms, substance abuse, burnout, and depression. 'Employers must acknowledge what their workers are going through and take responsibility for supporting their mental well-being,' De Beer said. To support affected workers, Sadag launched a free online support group. Sadag projects manager Krystle Kemp stated that 'Our support group creates a safe, caring space where people can speak openly, share experiences, and receive help from others who understand.' She added that people with depression, anxiety, or burnout often feel isolated, especially when their families don't understand their struggles or expect them to 'get over it.' Need help? Contact Sadag on 0800 567 567. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Businesses must stop ignoring staff burnout
Depression, anxiety and burnout plague South Africa's workforce. Ignoring it puts both people and profits at risk. It is sobering to look at the figures from the recently published Working Life Survey carried out by the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag). The mental conditions reported by workers countrywide look like the trauma you would expect to find on a bloody battlefield in a war. According to the survey, 52% of those interviewed had been diagnosed with mental health conditions. These ranged from 32% with depression, 25% suffering from stress, 18% from generalised anxiety disorder, 13% from burnout 13% and 10% who reported they had suffered trauma. It would be easy to laugh off the findings in a typical 'cowboys don't cry' manner, accompanied with the suggestion to 'toughen up.' After all, those thick-skinned people would argue, any person who has a job should consider themselves fortunate because almost 40% of adults are unemployed. ALSO READ: Urgent mental health support needed as SA teachers buckle under pressure Those sorts of approaches don't help people who are suffering, though. Krystle Kemp, Sadag projects manager, says: 'Living with depression, anxiety, or burnout can feel incredibly lonely, especially when your support system doesn't understand what you are going through because the family members often can't relate if they don't have their own first-hand experience.' Labour analyst Bukani Mngoma said the survey results were not surprising because there has been an increase in the workload workers are carrying daily. People therefore have to work harder, for the same pay and feel they cannot complain because they might get fired or retrenched. Few organisations are really aware of the importance of having mental health support programmes, which do not enjoy priority in an economy where firms are under increasing financial pressure. However, surely having a happier, settled workforce will improve productivity and, therefore, a company's bottom line? Above all, though, should we not treat all people in a humane way? NOW READ: Naps allow you to recharge but it's all about timing – here's what you need to know
