1. An application for Ill-Health Retirement should be made as soon as it is evident that the employee is permanently incapable of carrying out the duties required for the post to which he or she has been appointed.
2. An application for Ill-Health Retirement may be made before normal sick leave has been exhausted.
3. When an employee applies for Ill-Health Retirement, or the employer applies for the retirement of an employee on the grounds of ill-health, care must be taken that normal sick leave and incapacity leave are applied for simultaneously so as to cover the employee's absence from work. Applications for incapacity leave and Ill-Health Retirement must always be submitted simultaneously to the Health Risk Manager for assessment.
4. When an employee applies for Ill-Health Retirement, the Annexure E application form must be completed by the employee, the supervisor/principal/circuit manager and the medical practitioner. It must then be submitted to the Head Education, for attention: Mr P Adams, Western Cape Education Department, Private Bag X9114, Cape Town, 8000 as soon as possible. The form has four parts:
  • Part A: Statement by employer

    All non-medical information to be attached to Part A.

  • Part B: Statement by employee

    A certified copy of the applicant's identity document must be attached to Part B. All additional medical information (blood tests, x-rays, scans, etc) must be attached to Part B.

  • Part C: Employee consent form

  • Part D: Statement by the attending medical practitioner

    When an employee applies for Ill-Health Retirement, this section must be completed by a medical specialist. Should there be more than one attending medical practitioner, as defined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa, each medical practitioner is required to complete a separate Part D.
5. All costs relating to medical reports and tests of any nature and which are required to be submitted as part of the application, are to be paid by the employee.
6. Once the completed application has been received at Head Office, supporting documentation will be added by the WCED and sent to the Health Risk Manager within 5 working days of receipt of the application. Any missing documentation will delay the process.
7. The Health Risk Manager may
  • request additional information from the employer and/or the employee;
  • request information from line managers and/or human resources practitioners;
  • investigate, verify or expand on received information;
  • request (an) independent medical specialist examination(s) at the expense of the WCED;
  • request psychometric testing to assess the cognitive functionality of the employee, e.g. does the employee understand what he or she reads;
  • perform a functional capacity evaluation in order to assess the mental and/or physical capabilities of the employee; or
  • visit the workplace of the employee to ascertain whether there are circumstances that could be affecting the employee's ability to perform, and, if necessary, recommend changes.
8. The Health Risk Manager will then assess the application and advise on the following:
  • The validity of the application
  • The extent of the incapacity
  • Whether the incapacity is temporary or permanent
  • Potential redeployment, or task or workplace adaptations
  • Potential for rehabilitation and or/re-skilling
  • Future incapacity management and intervention (i.e. advice on redeployment, workplace adaptation and dealing with future incapacity)
9. Should task or workplace accommodation or re-deployment not be feasible, the Policy on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health Retirement (PILIR) allows the Department 30 working days in which to finalise the administrative procedures and termination of service. Should these 30 days not be sufficient to complete the process, a further 30 working days may be used, thereby allowing a maximum of 60 working days in which to terminate the employee's service on the grounds of ill-health. During this 30 or 60-day period, the employee is regarded as suffering "permanent incapacity."
10. The Head of Department, or his delegate, will inform the employee in writing whether the application for ill-health retirement has been approved or declined. Should the application not be approved, reasons will be provided in writing.
11. In the event of an application not being approved, the employee may lodge a grievance in writing, in terms of the dispute resolution mechanism and as per the rules of the ELRC (Educators) and the GPSSBC (Public Service Personnel). If, however, the grievance is not resolved, the employee has the right to declare a dispute with the ELRC (Educators) and the GPSSBC (Public Service Personnel).
12. The aforementioned application forms are rather bulky and have not been attached to this circular. However, the application forms and other related information are available on the website of the Department of Public Service and Administration at www.dpsa.gov.za and can be accessed via the following links:
12.1 Open the website of the Department of Public Service and Administration.
12.2 On the left-hand side, click on "Document archive".
12.3 Click on "Circulars".
12.4 Click on "Conditions of service".
12.5 Click on "5 December 2005". (Check here for the PILIR and procedure regarding incapacity and ill-health retirement.)
12.6 Click on "6 June 2006" for Annexure E.
13. Kindly bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all personnel.


SIGNED: TS MATSELISO
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2008:12:17