The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the Chairperson of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development requesting that the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development be summoned to account for the questionable and chaotic process followed in unilaterally reversing Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) salary translations previously awarded to scientists more than a decade ago.
Up to 65 scientists are affected by this unilateral reversal, which has been carried out without a court order, relying on a confidential forensic report, and in the absence of transparent due process.
Pending the matter being fully scrutinised by the Committee, the DA calls for:
- The immediate halting of demotions and attempts to recover alleged “overpayments”;
- The disclosure of the confidential forensic investigation conducted by KPMG on which the Department’s actions are based; and
- The scrutinising of the role played by senior officials in both the 2014 implementation and the 2025 reversal of OSD benefits.
This unilateral reversal has resulted in sudden and severe salary reductions, in some cases from level 11 down to level 8 — below what employees earned over a decade ago.
Affected families are struggling to meet financial obligations such as housing, transport, and school fees. Many also face the threat of being forced to repay alleged “overpayments”. Retired employees and those who left the Department remain uncertain about repayment claims.
The OSD was introduced nationally through the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council, effective 1 July 2009. In 2010, the Department applied “OSD” to scientists at research stations. A second phase in 2014–2015 extended the benefit to 177 additional scientists at head office and district level.
In March 2023 — more than a decade later — the Department announced its intention to reverse these translations and recover alleged overpayments dating back to 2009.
Despite filing its own Labour Court review application, the Department has not prosecuted the matter and instead proceeded unilaterally to demote affected employees.
Several employees have successfully challenged the reversal through arbitration, while others are pursuing legal remedies with support from the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU).
This situation reflects nearly two decades of poor governance and administrative negligence. It is legally and procedurally questionable, undermines the principles of fair labour practice, and threatens the livelihoods of affected employees and their families.
The DA will continue to push for full transparency and accountability in what appears to be a gross injustice.