Abstract
Despite the legislative framework that governs it, early retirement from the public service has increased in recent years. The government and experts have acknowledged that one of the main obstacles to providing effective services is the propensity of public employees to retire early. Therefore, it is crucial to look at how early retirement affects the South African civil servants. A qualitative approach based on an interpretative research paradigm was used in the study. Nine participants in a semi-structured interview were selected from the province of Limpopo's provincial government ministries. The enlistment of inexperienced employees, the lack of a succession plan, and inadequate knowledge transfer are some of the repercussions of early retirement in the public sector, based on the data collected. It is proposed that strategies be developed to guarantee that the public service has the proper mix of talents, and that rules controlling its operations be applied impartially.