Abstract
M.Phil. (Employment Relations)
Early retirement from the public service has been on the rise in recent years, in spite of the legislative framework to regulate it. The tendency of employees to retire early from the public service has been noted by government and experts as one of the major setbacks to effective service delivery. There is, therefore, a need to explore the underlying causes of early retirement in the public service, in order to understand the factors that compel employees to opt for early retirement, in spite of the financial penalties this decision entails. This exploration, it is hoped, will provoke the establishment of appropriate mechanisms for staff retention as a way of curtailing the menace of early retirement in the public service.
The main objective of this study was to explore the causes of early retirement in the public service. In addition, the study attempted to establish the impact of early retirement on the public service. Another objective was to understand the underlying reasons why employees retire early in spite of the financial penalties such decisions entail, and, subsequently, to propose mechanisms to address the challenges of early retirement in the public service.
A qualitative research approach anchored within an interpretative research paradigm was adopted. A semi-structured interview was conducted with nine participants selected from Limpopo provincial government departments. These participants were all employed in terms of the Public Service Act 1994, as amended.
The study identified some factors, such as the behaviour and attitude of colleagues, personal circumstances, unfair labour practices, malpractices, poor management and malicious supervisors, unconducive working environments, and work politics as contributing factors that induce early retirement in the public service. These factors are also influenced by instabilities linked to political interferences, which affect the interface between the political and administrative appointees in the civil service, and thereby render the institution ungovernable. Political interference and the associated practices lower the standard of appointments in the public service, due to the violation of public policies and principles of good governance, which pave way for malpractices such as maladministration, corruption, nepotism, and cronyism. These have been demonstrated through cadre deployment and appointment and promotion of people without the requisite skills in key positions that require highly competent officials. The...