Johannesburg - Suspended agriculture department director general Langa Zita will receive a golden handshake of R2.5m, the DA said on Tuesday.
"This handshake will allegedly comprise nine months’ full salary and 30% of each month’s salary until the end of his contract - which was set to expire in 2014," said Democratic Alliance MP Annette Steyn.
"Our calculations indicate that the final amount could be as high as R2.5m, an extraordinary amount of public money to hand out to an undeserving candidate," she said.
Zita was suspended in June for "administrative reasons".
Steyn said Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson should provide immediate clarity about the status of her DG.
Departmental spokesperson Palesa Mokomele decline to comment.
"It is an employee-employer relationship. We can't break that. I don't know where the DA got those figures," she said.
Steyn said if Zita was guilty of incompetence or corruption, evidence should be submitted for due process to take its course.
"The public has the right to know why he has been suspended and what steps are being taken to resolve whatever issue led to his suspension."
The matter would be added to a list of complaints submitted to the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela about the minister's "incompetence", Steyn said.
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