Cape Town - More than 1 000 skilled government employees abandoned their duties over the past two years to moonlight at the expense of taxpayers who pay their salaries.
The culprits – mainly police officers, medical practitioners and senior bureaucrats – performed remunerative work outside their official duties for quick cash without the required permission.
In some instances, doctors neglected patients for the entire night to look after patients in private hospitals.
According to the replies to parliamentary questions by various government departments, the police and health departments have been the hardest hit.
Other affected departments included Justice and Constitutional Development, Economic Development and Public Enterprises.
While a few moonlighters had permission, the majority did so in defiance of the government’s rules and regulations governing the performance of remunerative work outside the public service by public servants.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa confirmed in a written reply that 549 officials had been performing paid work in addition to their official responsibilities since April 1.
At least 634 did the same in the 2012/2013 financial year.
Mthethwa said not all officials had permission.
“The contraventions were brought to the attention of SAPS and are being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit. The outcome of the investigation will direct the steps to be taken against transgressors,” he said.
Mthethwa said moonlighting was regulated by National Instruction 4 of 2012 on performance of remunerative work. The policy provided for circumstances in which approval may be granted or not granted, he added.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe said his department had identified 127 culprits.
He said 54 officials were identified during the 2010/11 financial year, 22 during the 2011/12 financial year and 51 during the 2012/13 financial year.
“For the period April 1, 2013, from our records, 35 employees have been identified as (having) performed work in addition to the responsibilities related to… work, outside normal working hours,” said Radebe.
He said the transgressors included security officers, clerks, supervisors, and middle and senior managers.
“The policy requires that employees must declare and must seek permission to perform remunerative work other than the official work that they are employed to perform,” said Radebe.
He said while warning letters had been issued, some transgressors had decided to resign before they could be disciplined.
Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel said three employees were given permission to moonlight during the 2012-2013 financial year.
Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said 23 employees in his department had contravened the policy since the 2010/11 financial year.
“Investigations are under way. Awareness will be created, disciplinary action taken for all those who will be contravening the act henceforth, and the process to pay back the remuneration received into revenue will also be facilitated,” he said.
The Presidency said it had nine moonlighters within its ranks, including a state accountant, assistant directors and deputy directors, and a researcher who acted without approval.
Department of Public Service and Administration spokesman Ndivhuwo Mabaya said the health and police departments had been the most affected because they employed the lion’s share of public servants.
“There are cases in KwaZulu-Natal of doctors moonlighting the whole night. But it’s not about money, it’s about performance management.
“There’s a lack of management of that person. Moonlighting is not done by teachers, it is senior people who have skills who are needed somewhere,” said Mabaya.
He said the Guptagate scandal was another example in which police officers had allegedly moonlighted as security guards.
The Star