There are 108 Eastern Cape government officials on suspension, with the majority of them in the Department of Education.
This was revealed by the Premier, Lubabalo Mabuyane, in a written reply to questions from the Democratic Alliance.
The Premier's reply also revealed that 38 officials were suspended for insubordination, 28 for being absent without approval, 27 for the misuse of state property, 12 suspended for assault and three for fraud.
They include senior officials in positions of Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors while the bulk of those on suspension were administration officers and below.
One official from the Department of Safety and Liaison has been on suspension for 108 days.
Commenting on the Premier's written reply, DA MPL, Kobus Botha, says it’s unacceptable that disciplinary hearings are being dragged out in this manner, while taxpayers continue to pay officials for not being in the office.
He says the Premier could only confirm that four out of the 108 cases had resulted in suspensions.
Botha says it’s become clear that the ANC government lacks the political will to speedily deal with these disciplinary cases.
