The Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) has defended spending R222 447 in legal fees in a fight not to have to pay R2 083 to an employee who qualified for a bonus in the 2019/20 financial year.

GPAA spokesperson Mack Lewele said while the costs incurred on the case are significant, they had no choice but to defend public service policies and regulations pertaining to the Performance Management & Development Systems (PMDS), according to a TimesLIVE report.

‘These include prescribed and mandatory dates for an employee to submit their performance reports, the deliberations thereof between employees and employer, moderation and feedback thereof. The official failed to comply with some of the PMDS policy (by failing to avail himself to discuss the final score with his line managers).’

However, the Public Servants Association, which the employee is affiliated to, said the employee timeously submitted his performance assessment to his supervisor as per the policy but was instead directed to submit the assessment to his supervisor’s supervisor.

The union has called on GPAA CEO Kedibone Madiehe, who was appointed in November last year, to institute necessary consequence management and ensure managers who took the ‘illogical and costly decision’ were held accountable and personally refunded state coffers.

The PSA also said the cost was a fruitless expenditure as the agency used attorneys in matters, despite having an in-house labour relations unit.

Lewele said it was not a fruitless expenditure. 

‘The events of the case from the beginning to the end provide clear proof that the GPAA legally procured services and such were rendered. That does not constitute fruitless expenditure.’

Full TimesLIVE report