1. The conditions of appointment and service benefits of Public Service employees who were appointed for closed periods in vacant substantive posts prior to 1 April 2005 have been reviewed.
2. This circular is only applicable to Public Service employees who were appointed prior to 1 April 2005 in vacant substantive posts which have no permanent incumbents. Public Service employees who are appointed as substitutes, that is, those employees who are appointed for a closed period in the place of permanent Public Service employees who are absent from duty or acting in a higher post, are thus excluded from the measures as contained in this circular.
3. The measures covered in this circular are effective from 1 April 2005 except where explicitly otherwise indicated.
4. The following are the conditions and service benefits which will apply:
4.1 Leave Benefits
4.1.1 The leave measures contained in Resolution 7 of 2000 and Resolution 15 of 2002 of the PSCBC and the Leave Directive of the Department: Public Service and Administration dated 13 November 2003 shall apply with effect from 1 April 2005, with the proviso that normal sick leave will be granted on a pro rata basis for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2005.
4.1.2 Although this measure is effective from 1 April 2005, qualifying employees will still qualify for the full pro rata portion of normal sick leave of 12 (twelve) days for the period of 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2005.
4.2 Service Bonus
4.2.1 A service bonus will be payable in terms of the existing prescriptions regulating the payment of such bonus (and as applicable to permanently appointed employees).
4.2.2 The date of implementation for the payment of the service bonus is 1 April 2005. It will not be implemented retroactively for the period during which the person was on contract.
4.2.3 One of the requirements for the payment of the service bonus is that the employee must be in service on the date of his/her service bonus pay date, which is the month in which his/her birthday falls.
4.3 Medical Aid Benefits
4.3.1 Medical aid benefits will be payable in terms of the existing prescriptions regulating the payment of such medical aid (and as applicable to permanently appointed employees).
4.3.2 It follows that the medical aid will be granted subject to proof of admission to a medical aid scheme being submitted. Only one of the spouses may be a member of the medical aid fund, but not both.
4.4 Pension Benefits
4.4.1 The date of implementation of this benefit is 1 April 2006.
4.4.2 This benefit is only applicable to a Public Service employee who was appointed on contract in a vacant substantive post (which is a new appointment) and who was, without a break in service, appointed to the same post at the same institution for a further continuous period(s).
4.4.3 Public Service employees who are appointed as indicated above will be admitted to the Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF) with effect from 1 April 2006.
4.5 Homeowner’s Allowance
4.5.1 A homeowner’s allowance will be payable in terms of the existing prescriptions regulating the payment of such allowance (and as applicable to permanently appointed Public Service employees).
4.5.2 It must be borne in mind that one of the requirements for participating in the homeowner’s allowance scheme is that a Public Service employee must be a member of the GEPF. Therefore the earliest that contract employees can qualify for this benefit is also 1 April 2006.
4.6 Conditions of Appointment in a Contract Capacity
4.6.1 It has been decided that Public Service employees employed at institutions who meet the prescribed requirements for appointment, and who are appointed to vacant substantive posts, may be appointed in a contract capacity for a continuous period of twelve calendar months depending on when a vacancy list will be issued and on the number of vacancy lists that will be issued.
4.6.2 Serving contract employees who have been admitted to the GEPF with effect from 1 April 2006 will be appointed on probation for a 12 month period with effect from 1 April 2006 with the view to the permanent appointment of such contract employees.
5. Vacancy Lists

In view of the content of paragraph 4.6 above, the earliest that an open vacancy list for clerical posts and posts of foreman can be issued is 1 April 2006. The redeployment of excess employees still impacts on the timeous permanent filling of posts and the issuing of open vacancy lists.


SIGNED: J.H. HURTER
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2005:09:19

PSCBC Resolution 7 of 2000  (size: 56 KB)
PSCBC Resolution 15 of 2002  (size: 321 KB)
Leave Directive of the Department: Public Service and Administration  (size: 251 KB)