Budget Speech 2020: Plans to shrink public service wage bill, says Mboweni

JOHANNESBURG – “Public servants do crucial work for our country, often in trying conditions,” Finance Minister Tito Mboweni told Parliament during his national budget speech on Wednesday. 

Mboweni said the governing party is a firm believer in the critical role of the state in development. 

“Working with the public sector unions, we have over the past 15 years sought to improve the lot of public servants, and we have committed significant resources for compensating them every year even as we have tried to increase their numbers in recognition of their demanding workloads. Between 2006/07 and 2011/12, we were able to add about 190 000 employees. However, at the same time, government wages also increased significantly. To balance the books, we slowed hiring, and since 2011/12 the number of government employees has declined,” Mboweni said.