The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has sparked anger among its employees after declining the national government’s directive that all departments approve long-serving staff members’ early retirement applications.
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The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is facing mounting backlash after refusing to approve early retirement applications from long-serving employees, despite a national Cabinet directive.
The decision has angered teacher unions and officials, who say the provincial department has defied national policy and unfairly blocked employees from accessing a programme intended to reduce the government’s wage bill while creating opportunities for younger workers.
The Cabinet resolved during a special meeting on April 10, 2024, that all national and provincial departments should approve early retirement applications submitted by employees before the closing date of November 30 last year.
The plan was designed to cut salary costs by allowing long-serving employees to retire early while enabling government to hire younger staff at lower pay levels.
After the decision — which excluded municipalities — the Department of Public Service and Administration cascaded the directive to departments in October 2025.
But the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has now broken ranks.
In a circular issued on March 2, provincial education head Nkosinathi Ngcobo informed senior officials, including school principals and governing bodies, that the department would not approve the applications.
Ngcobo cited financial pressures.
“Therefore, all applications are, regrettably, not approved for this phase.
“The content of this circular must be brought to the attention of all employees and officials under your supervision,” read Ngcobo’s circular.
The department has not disclosed how many applications were rejected. Questions sent to the department on Thursday afternoon went unanswered.
Under the Cabinet decision, employees aged 55 to 59 were eligible for an additional financial incentive calculated at two weeks of basic salary per year for the first 20 years of pensionable service, and one week’s financial incentive for each completed year thereafter.
For employees aged 60 to 63, the incentive would be calculated at two weeks of basic salary per year for the first 10 years of pensionable service, and one week’s financial incentive for each additional completed year.
According to Ngcobo’s circular, the National Treasury would cover major costs linked to the programme.
“The costs incurred by waiving pension penalties, as well as the costs associated with the financial incentives, are funded by the National Treasury.
“However, costs in respect of pro-rata service bonus pay, capped leave, unused current annual leave, and resettlement costs are expected to be funded from within the department’s baseline budget,” read Ngcobo’s circular.
Ngcobo also warned managers that the Cabinet decision was not automatic and should not compromise the department’s service delivery mandate.
But insiders say the financial explanation does not hold up.
A senior official in the education department, who asked not to be named, said the department’s justification was misleading.
“They are saying they did not have money, but the money comes from the National Treasury and this is not a secret.
“If it was declined because of the budget, it should be the National Treasury saying that we don’t have enough money to cover these people,” she said.
Another senior government official involved in the Cabinet decision said departments had already been allocated funds.
“After the DPSA approved the Cabinet decision, it was taken to National Treasury, who after doing the calculations, responded to the department and said ‘yes, we have allocated the money’ and they sent the money to the departments,” said another senior government official who was involved in the Cabinet decision.
In his February Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated R3.7 billion to fund early retirement for nearly 8,000 civil servants.
He also set aside R340 million for provinces through the equitable share to support the early retirement and voluntary exit programme.
“The question to KwaZulu-Natal Education is what do you mean by saying you don’t have the money because the money for this thing is coming straight from the National Treasury and not from your department,” said the official.
Teacher unions say they are now preparing to challenge the decision.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa says its members are angry and confused, particularly because other provinces have reportedly processed applications.
“We have raised questions to the circular because members are surprised and have a certain level of anger as they feel treated differently because other provinces are processing.
“In KZN, other departments are also processing,” said NAPTOSA Executive Director Basil Manuel.
Manuel said the union was questioning the department’s claim of financial constraints.
“The department contributes the smallest part of the costs, as the Treasury has guaranteed certain things and the pension comes from the Government Employees Pension Fund.
“We are not buying this, especially since this is designed to reduce the salary bill because the people that are going off are those earning the highest salaries because of their long service, and younger people would come in at lower salary levels,” said Manuel.
He confirmed that the union has referred the matter to the Education Labour Relations Council, the Public Service Coordination Bargaining Council and the Department of Public Service and Administration.
Manuel also said he had asked Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi for an explanation.
He said he had on Thursday asked DPSA Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi for rational reasons, particularly given that this was a Cabinet directive and was awaiting a response.