Latest news with #R11bn
TimesLIVE
16-07-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Zondo commission of inquiry cost R1bn — Mbalula
The ANC has revealed the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture has cost the country R1bn and resulted in 51 individuals and 27 entities facing criminal charges with R11bn in 'stolen assets' recovered. The commission, formed in 2018 by former president Jacob Zuma, was established to investigate allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud in the public sector. It concluded its hearings in 2021 and the final report was submitted in 2022. Concerns have been raised that the report has 'gathered dust', with no action taken against those implicated as there haven't been any arrests. Briefing the media on Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the commission yielded a substantial return despite its significant cost. 'More than R14bn in assets are frozen, R5.4bn has been recovered and more than 60 individuals and entities are facing criminal prosecution,' Mbalula said. 'The commissions have not only exposed wrongdoing but have informed meaningful legislative and structural reforms.' President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a commission of inquiry to look into allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi against senior law enforcement officials, including police minister Senzo Mchunu, over alleged political interference in criminal cases. Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya were placed on special leave pending the outcomes. The move was criticised by the public and political parties, citing previous commissions that produced no arrests. Mbalula said calls for immediate arrests or prosecutions without the process 'reflect disregard for constitutionalism and due process and would ironically mirror the very abuses of power we seek to correct' 'It must be understood that in a constitutional democracy, justice is not a spectacle. The separation of powers doctrine limits the executive's direct intervention in investigations or prosecutions. 'The demand for arrests, politically driven prosecutions, or trial by media undermines the foundation of the rule of law. South Africa's hard-won democracy does not permit leaders to act as judge, jury and executioner. Instead, the president has correctly entrusted independent institutions to do their work and has created an enabling environment for them to succeed.' He called on the public and political parties to respect the process. 'The commission must be allowed to conduct its work thoroughly, independently and without fear or favour. 'The ANC views the settings of commissions of inquiry, while not a substitute for law enforcement, as essential instruments in the pursuit of justice, truth and reform, especially where systemic failure, conflict of interest or possible political interference has paralysed existing institutions.'
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Treasury slashes early retirement costs
Revised down from R11bn estimated in the 2024 MTBPS to R5.5bn across 2025/26 and 2026/27. The early retirement programme aims to rationalise and rejuvenate the public service while retaining critical skills and promoting the entry of younger talent. Picture Shutterstock The allocation for the early retirement programme has been revised down from R11 billion estimated in the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement to R5.5 billion across 2025/26 and 2026/27. 'This budget also retains the provisional allocations for early retirement, allocations for Prasa and the municipal trading entity reforms announced before, but at a slightly lower level than anticipated in the March 12 budget,' says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his speech. Re-introduced last year, the incentive aims to rationalise and rejuvenate the public service while retaining critical skills and promoting the entry of younger talent. In 2019 there was a similar offer, but it didn't solve the problem. ALSO READ: Budget 3.0: not austerity budget, but a redistributive budget 'This initiative is expected to motivate 15 000 public service employees to apply for early retirement in 2025/26 and 2026/27, with R5.5 billion allocated to support the programme', says National Treasury Director-General Dr Duncan Pieterse. Initially, at R11 billion, the early retirement was to extend to 30 000 employees and translate to a R2 billion year cost saving. 'We halved the provision and so halved the number of employees who will benefit,' says Pieterse at a media briefing before Godongwana delivered his speech. Early retirement costs will come up to R5.5 billion for the two years. The government will spend R2.2 billion in the first year of implementation and then proceed to spend R3.3 billion in 2026/27. 'The March 2025 Budget Review provides details on key fiscal reforms, including a longer-term fiscal anchor and the reactivation of early retirement without penalties to support a sustainable public-service wage bill. These reforms are in progress,' says Pieterse. ALSO READ: Godongwana cuts government spending to offset VAT shortfall Hefty public wage bill The public sector wage bill has weighed heavily on the fiscus for years, and attempts to rein it in have been largely unsuccessful. Moneyweb reported that SA's wage bill breached R700 billion in 2023. Tabling the budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, Godongwana said he expects compensation for workers in the employ of the public service to reach R701.2 billion, surpassing a level he once thought would be reached in 2025. In 2019, former finance minister Tito Mboweni introduced a public sector salary freeze for three years in an effort to control the ballooning wages. But in the 2023/24 financial year, public service wages increased. Pieterse noted discussions with organised labour on the process for people to apply for early retirement are underway in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). 'The allocation will be revisited on the conclusion of these consultations as part of the next budget process, although functions that are not parties to the PSCBC process – such as the Department of Defence – can proceed with implementation,' he says. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
