GRANTING AND PROCEEDING ON LEAVE

The following measures in relation to the granting of and proceeding on leave shall apply:

1. Applications should be made on the prescribed leave form Z1(a)
2. Except in cases of emergency/unforeseen circumstances, leave must be applied at least 5 working days in advance for short leave (one or two days) and 14 days prior to the commencement of leave in the case of long or annual leave (five days and more). 
3. An employee must direct his/her leave form/s through his/her immediate supervisor to the Head of Division/Directorate. A copy of his/her leave credits must accompany the leave application form. The immediate supervisor will recommend / not recommend the leave application, where after he/she will forward the signed leave form to the Head of the Division/ Directorate. After the leave has been approved / not approved by the Head of the Division/Directorate,  he/she must inform     the applicant accordingly. The Head of the Division/Directorate must ensure     that the approved leave application  form is forwarded to the Human Resource Administration Directorate  within 2 days for capturing on the PERSAL system.
4. Under no circumstances may an official proceed on leave unless the  leave form has been approved by the Head of the Division/ Directorate. Should an employee proceed on leave without the leave  form being duly authorised by the Head of the Division/Directorate, the employee concerned will be deemed to be absent from work without  permission and will face the consequences of such behaviour.
5. If confronted with emergency/unforeseen circumstances which  necessitate the utilization of annual leave, the employee must personally notify his/her supervisor/manager immediately requesting  leave. 
6. Application in cases of emergency/unforeseen circumstances will be dealt with on merit and it is important that the employee furnish reasons for and proof of the emergency/unforeseen circumstances to  assist in making the decision to leave sought.
7. An employee must submit an application for annual leave personally or through a relative, fellow employee within 5 working days after the first day of absence. If the employee fails to submit the application on  time or compelling reasons why an application cannot be submitted,     the supervisor/manager must immediately- 
8. notify the employee that if such application is not received within 2      working days, the leave period will be regarded as unpaid leave; and 
9. inform the Human Resource Administration Directorate, should the employee default on the notification referred to in par (g)(i), above, and the relevant authority shall approve such absence as unpaid  leave. The employee’s supervisor/manager/ Head of Department and/or his/her delegate must within two working days from receipt of  the leave application form recommend/not recommend and/or   approve/disapprove this leave application and submit to the relevant  Human Resource Administration Directorate.
10. Failure by the employee to submit his/her application form within the stated periods, or failure by the supervisor/manager to properly manage it, must be viewed in a serious light and disciplinary steps  against the employee and/or supervisor/manager should be taken.