More than 70 civil servants have been paid a total of R24.5 million while sitting at home doing nothing as at June.
The Defence and Military Veterans Department paid out nearly R16 million to its 31 suspended employees while eight other departments coughed up a combined R8 710 252.
One suspended official has been lounging at home for 11 years.
This is revealed in written replies by various ministers in response to questions posed by the Freedom Front Plus (FFP) over the past two months.
The FFP’s Pieter Groenewald yesterday described the expenditure as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“We acknowledge there are labour relations laws, but the fact of the matter is some in management take too long to take corrective steps against those civil servants who contravene the rules.
“We say that is totally unacceptable. That is a waste of taxpayers’ money,” Groenewald said.
The Defence and Military Veterans leads with the highest number of officials on suspension followed by Home Affairs.
Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula said 23 soldiers and eight
civilians were on suspension as at June at a cost of over R17m.
One of the soldiers has been paid R2 073 621 since his suspension 11 years ago.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said 23 employees, mainly junior staff, were on suspension as at June.
National Treasury has forked out R2 348 246 for its four suspended officials, all top managers,” Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene said.
Groenewald said the R24m on salaries of suspended officials could have been used on infrastructure development and provide much-needed services.