SA 'must pay' to retain skills

"(When) we look at professionals in the public service... the band under director... there we need to ensure that our intervention is such that we have much more competitive salaries," she told a governance and administration media briefing at parliament on Tuesday.

Fraser-Moleketi said salaries in this band were "very low", and the matter was being looked at by government.

"We are looking at how we can review that salary band... it's clearly going to imply some real increases that we need to consider.

"We don't want to simply 'think in the box' and tamper at the edges. We actually need to look at how we retain... professional skills."

Referring to the Cabinet lekgotla held earlier this year, Fraser-Moleketi said this had highlighted certain critical skills shortages in government.

However, figures currently available on this shortage were "very general", and specifics would only be available in April.

At this time, a public sector-wide database would be put in place to provide information on training needs and skills shortfalls, and government was looking at creating a "pool of professional skills" within the public service.

Speaking at the same briefing, Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said she did not think new immigration regulations currently being looked at would restrict the flow of scarce skills into South Africa.

Replying to a question, she said the draft regulations were aimed at dealing with three issues.

"Firstly, we are trying to attract foreign investors into the country; we are trying to attract scarce skills; and, thirdly, we want to discourage people entering illegally," she said.