A report dealing with transformation in the country's public service since 1994 has described the extent of corruption in government departments as "definitely serious", while also slamming the practice of suspending government officials being investigated on full pay.

The hard-hitting document was drawn up by the public service commission and cited an example where a national government official was suspended for three years while earning his full salary.

The commission, which is the public service's watchdog, said in the report that there have been "impressive and far-reaching" changes in the service since 1994, but that transformation had also opened the door to corruption.

This was because black people had historically been excluded from the public service and it now presented one of the few opportunities for enrichment.

A lack of experience in the public service, as well as its closer connections with the corporate world also contributed to corruption, said the report.

However, in his foreword to the report, public service commission chairperson Stan Sangweni said the foundations had been laid over the last 10 years for a public service which would give shape to the country's democratic principles.

Although the commission said it was impossible to measure the extent of corruption in the public service, the situation was "definitely serious".

The most illegal activities in the public service happened in the awarding of tenders and buying of equipment and other goods and services.

The report said the mechanisms which had been put in place to stop corruption were time consuming when it came to tenders and the buying of goods and services, which also contributed to shortcuts being taken.

And according to the report the situation in the country's nine provinces, where 70 percent of government officials work, is even worse than at national level.

Provinces which had to employ officials from former homelands were especially vulnerable to corruption, said the report.

It said further that although provinces spent huge amounts, the results were often unsatisfactory and that steps should be taken to ensure that the public got value for their tax money.

Other points included:

The practice of suspending government officials with full pay while they were being investigated was unacceptable. It created the perception that government was not serious about rooting out corruption.

The commission was unhappy with the annual reports handed in by government departments. Only 11 percent of national departments handed in their reports before the deadline last year. The police service's annual report was singled out as one of "a very low standard", because it contained very little information.

Job descriptions are vague in the public service and job candidates' references were almost never followed up.

With acknowledgements to Ashley Smith and Cape Times.