Abstract
Despite the legal system in place to govern it, early retirements from the public service have increased in recent years. The government and experts have identified one of the main obstacles to efficient service delivery as the inclination of public servants to retire early. Therefore, to understand the motivations that drive employees to choose early retirement despite the financial consequences, warrants an investigation into the root causes of early retirement in the public sector. The study employed a qualitative methodology grounded in an interpretative research paradigm. Nine individuals chosen from the provincial government departments of the province of Limpopo participated in a semi-structured interview. The study found that several factors contribute to early retirement in the public sector, including personal circumstances, co-worker behaviour and attitude, malpractices, unfair labour practices, poorly managed and malicious supervisors, unfavourable working environments, and work politics. Instability associated with political meddling also influences these facets, affecting the interface between the civil service's political and administrative appointments and making the institution unmanageable. It is recommended that public policy and its implementation be grounded in solid ethical principles and that the government steps up its efforts to enforce and safeguard the law. Additionally, the government must avoid overriding public policy in favor of party loyalists, as this goes against democratic values, and leadership selection must be impartial.