THE final salary review draft report proposes a downgrade for a number of high-ranking positions in the civil service.
These include doctors, director of health services, prosecutors, the prime minister’s personal assistant (PA), and ministers’ assistants.
The most significant number of downgrades occurred in the ministry of health.
According to the draft report by the consultant, Umalusi Capital and Emergency Growth, about 6% of positions are expected to be downgraded, while 75% will remain the same and 19% will be upgraded. This was based on the evaluation of 1 113 jobs out of the 44 979 in the public service. The consultant has recommended implementing Scenario 3, which requires E1.1 billion.
According to an analysis by the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), almost every ministry in the draft had downgraded posts.
The ministry of health in particular had a significant number of positions downgraded. For example, the director of health services position has been downgraded from F3, which has a current annual salary of E653 651 to F2, with a current annual salary of E477 046, to E541 821. Under the proposed increment in Scenario 3, the salary scale for F2 will be E831 023 to E899 526. If the position had not been downgraded, the new director would receive an annual salary of between E917 000 to E993 000.
Other positions downgraded in the same ministry include optometrists, who have been changed from F3 to F1. Medical doctors, including specialists such as dermatologists, neurologists, orthopaedists, and paediatricians, have all been downgraded from F3 to F1. If the review is implemented, medical doctors between will receive an annual salary of E725 108 to E814 100 under the proposed scales. Under the current establishment register, doctors earn an annual salary of E653 651. If the proposal had been to remain in the same grade, under the proposed new scale they would have been entitled to over E917 866 in annual salary.
Psychologists have also been downgraded from E3 to E2, which means instead of getting an annual salary of over E559 000 to E601 000, they will be getting around E460 700 to E496 000.
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Clinical psychologists have been downgraded from E5 to E1, a four-grade downgrade. Senior programmes officers, regional health officers, and health information officers also had their positions downgraded.
The downgrading of grades also affects the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs. The principal law reforms officer position was downgraded from F2 to E4, which is three grades down. The senior crown counsel position also went from E3 to E2, the Crown prosecutor went from E2 to D5, while the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public relations officer (PRO) went from D5 to D4.
The prime minister’s personal assistant (pa) and other cabinet ministers’ assistants have also been downgraded. According to the final draft report, the current annual remuneration of the prime minister’s PA is E477 046 to E541 821. If the PA were to be remunerated under the same scale, they would have been entitled to an annual salary of E752 000 to E814 000. However, since the position has been downgraded, the PA will be entitled to E343 830 rising to E372 282. Cabinet ministers’ PAs were downgraded from D3 to D1, with an annual salary of E283 188 to over E306 000.
The deputy prime minister’s office also had a number of positions downgraded, including the gender analyst, who went from E3 to E2, and a disaster manager, who was downgraded to D3. The ministry of education also saw the positions of principal vocational and principal college being downgraded from F1 to E5.
NAPSAWU General Secretary Msimeto Malindzisa said they had since learnt that some positions had been downgraded.
He explained that, according to what was presented to them by the consultant and government, the downgrade would not see the officers holding the positions having their salaries slashed. He explained that only those civil servants who assume office after the implementation of the proposed salary review will be placed in the downgraded positions.
“This defeats the principle of equal work, equal pay,” he said.
He added that overall, as a trade union, they were not happy with the report. He noted that some jobs, such as cordon guards, were left out of the final draft report that was shared with the union, and they presented a draft of those jobs which the consultant has to incorporate into the final report that will be shared today when the joint negotiation forum (JNF) resumes.
