By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education said on Sunday it could not currently approve applications under the Incentivised Early Retirement Programme and Voluntary Exit Programme because it lacked the financial capacity to absorb related costs from its existing baseline budget.
The department said it acknowledged cabinet’s decision to introduce the Incentivised Early Retirement Programme without penalisation of pension benefits, as well as the Voluntary Exit Programme, for public service employees. The decision was approved at a special cabinet meeting on 10 April 2024.
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The Department of Public Service and Administration issued a formal determination in October 2025 setting out the framework and procedures for implementing the programmes across government departments. The determination provided for financial incentives to qualifying employees, with certain costs, including the waiving of pension penalties and incentive payments, funded by National Treasury.
However, other associated costs, including pro-rata service bonus payments, capped leave, unused annual leave and resettlement expenses where applicable, had to be funded from the baseline budgets of individual departments.
“Given the current fiscal constraints faced by the department, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education regrettably does not have the financial capacity at this stage to absorb the additional costs that must be funded from its existing baseline budget,” the department said.
It said approval of applications under the programmes was not automatic and that departments were required to assess applications against specific criteria, “including ensuring that service delivery is not negatively affected, that critical skills are not lost, and that the financial implications remain sustainable within departmental budgets”.
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It said that while employees retained the right to apply, it was “presently unable to approve applications under the current phase, particularly in circumstances where the departure of employees may create service delivery gaps that cannot immediately be addressed”.
The department said its position did not oppose or undermine cabinet’s decision or the DPSA determination, but reflected “a responsible and transparent approach” to communicating its financial and operational realities while remaining aligned with national policy directives.
