South Sudan is often described as a country of paradoxes. Among the most striking of these contradictions is the reality that the government, as the largest employer in the country, imposes fees for official services and documents that many of its own civil servants cannot afford. This raises a fundamental question: how can a public servant access essential state services when their cost exceeds a monthly salary?
In recent years, the cost of obtaining government documents has increased significantly, including passports, citizenship certificates, driving licences, and academic certificates. For instance, fees for primary and secondary school certificates have reached approximately 100,000 South Sudanese Pounds, an amount equal to or exceeding the monthly salary of many lower grade civil servants.
The situation is not limited to academic certificates. A passport costs about 100 USD, equivalent to several hundred thousand South Sudanese Pounds, while the majority of government employees earn far less than this amount. Similarly, fees for driving licences and other official documents continue to impose a heavy financial burden on both citizens and public servants.
The citizenship certificate is one of the most essential legal documents, serving as proof of nationality and a gateway to a wide range of rights and public services. It is important to note that this certificate is not subject to renewal. It is typically issued once, except in cases of loss, damage, or correction. However, even in such cases, the cost of re issuance remains high, placing an additional burden on low income citizens.
This situation highlights a troubling reality. Many civil servants cannot afford the very services provided by the state they serve. It raises serious concerns about social justice and the alignment of fiscal policies with the economic realities of public sector workers and ordinary citizens.
The hardship of civil servants does not end with official documents. Many struggle to meet basic living expenses, including food, healthcare, education, and transportation. In some cases, monthly salaries are insufficient even to cover daily commuting costs throughout the month, let alone inter state travel or university education for their children.
At the same time, public sector salaries remain low and are often paid irregularly. This undermines institutional efficiency, weakens public administration, and places additional pressure on already struggling households.
Despite heavy taxation and high government fees imposed on citizens and the private sector, public services remain inadequate. In the health sector, hospitals and clinics continue to suffer from shortages of medical personnel, medicines, and essential equipment. In education, schools face serious challenges related to infrastructure, staffing, and learning resources. Other basic public services also fall short of citizens’ expectations.
This reality raises a persistent and legitimate question. Where do the revenues collected from taxes and fees actually go. Citizens naturally expect that public revenues should translate into improved services, stable salaries, better infrastructure, and visible development in their daily lives. When this does not happen, the gap between the state and society continues to widen.
History offers important lessons in this regard. In Sudan during the Turco Egyptian administration, excessive taxation and economic injustice were among the factors that contributed to the outbreak of the Mahdist Revolution. The reference here is not to draw direct comparisons, but to emphasise a historical lesson. Taxation without equitable public service delivery inevitably generates public discontent.
History also demonstrates that a persistent imbalance between state extraction and public welfare can lead to deep social instability. These lessons underscore the importance of learning from past governance failures to avoid repeating them.
Accordingly, the Government of South Sudan is urged to strengthen transparency and accountability in public financial management. The purpose of taxation and public fees should not be mere revenue collection, but the provision of services, improvement of living standards, and advancement of national development.
Properly managed and efficiently allocated public revenues have the potential to transform citizens’ lives. South Sudan possesses significant natural and economic resources capable of supporting meaningful development, provided that public funds are managed in the national interest rather than for private or factional benefit.
In this context, a comprehensive review of public service fees and salary structures has become an urgent necessity. It is neither reasonable nor sustainable for the cost of essential government documents to exceed the monthly income of the employees serving the state. Continued disparities of this nature risk eroding public trust in state institutions and deepening social inequality.
Social justice cannot be achieved through rhetoric alone. It requires balanced fiscal and economic policies that guarantee dignity for civil servants and accessible services for citizens. When people see their contributions reflected in better services and development, trust in government is strengthened and stability becomes more attainable.
This imperative aligns with the programmes and commitments of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement SPLM, as well as its 2010 election pledges and its long standing vision of the “New Sudan,” which emphasised justice, equality, and equitable development. These principles were intended to build a state that delivers essential services, distributes resources fairly, and improves the living conditions of all citizens.
Therefore, reviewing public fees and salary structures is not merely a policy option but also a moral and political obligation tied to these founding commitments. It is essential for restoring public confidence and redirecting national development towards inclusive prosperity and social justice.
In conclusion, the writer appeals to the President of the Republic and the leadership of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly to urgently address these widening disparities by reviewing public service fees and salary structures. Such reforms are necessary to ensure fairness between the cost of government services and the income levels of citizens and civil servants alike. These measures would promote social justice, ease economic pressure, and ensure that public services remain accessible to all without exception, thereby strengthening trust between the state and its people and reinforcing the principles of good governance.
Ultimately, rethinking the relationship between taxation, public services, and social welfare is not only an economic necessity but a national imperative so that taxation remains a tool for development rather than hardship, and public service remains a pathway to dignity rather than daily struggle.
William Sunday D. Tor is a political and social researcher and currently a Lecturer of Security Studies, International Development, and Regional Planning at Starford International University, Juba. He can be reached via williamtor2011@gmail.com
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.
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