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The Public Servants Association (PSA), as majority Union at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, is extremely concerned about mass resignations at the Department in the 2022/23-financial year.

The parliamentary report indicated that 640 employees resigned from the Department of Justice. Parliament was focusing on the issue of shortage of staff at the Department and was puzzled by the number of employees leaving the system. During the 2021/22-financial year, 486 employees resigned from the Department and 420 resigned a year before. It is concerning that the Department is losing employees with institutional memory. It was reported that most of the employees left the Department to look for greener pastures, including other departments, with better opportunities. Some employees resigned to cash out on their pensions owing to being indebted.
 
The PSA attributes the mass resignation of employees to poor working conditions and high workloads owing to a shortage of staff. In addition, the high cost of living in the country drives employees to look for opportunities to earn better salaries. Public servants are financially strained, and many cannot afford to buy houses or pay school fees for their children. In addition, an employer that is not sensitive to the plight of employees as well as high-stress levels caused by a toxic work environment leads to resignations.
 
The PSA urges the Department to investigate and establish reasons for the resignations. It must establish mechanisms to retain employees as the retention strategy seems to be failing. Retaining employees with institutional memory and experience are essential to assist the Department to carry out its mandate. In addition, the Public Service Commission must assess elements of dissatisfaction across the public service and establish the root causes for mass exit in the system to avoid a service-delivery collapse.

Issued by The Public Servants Association