Nurses have been singled out as the worst abusers of overtime and sick leave system in Limpopo, according to a study conducted by the provincial department of health.
The study, which looked into the department's spending on overtime and sick leave, revealed that nurses aged between 20 and 29 utilised more sick leave days and worked overtime in order to milk the state.
"The age group would take sick leave a day before holiday and after it. And when they return to work they would work for few days then subsequently be placed on overtime because he or she was on sick leave," the report said.
Other healthcare workers, including medical officers and pharmacists, were also found to have benefitted from the abuse of the system.
"Nursing managers at some institutions work overtime on weekends and holidays mainly for supervision whereas they could have delegated those on duty. There was no overtime strategy in place and no commitments to discuss absenteeism," the report found.
Limpopo department of health said on Monday that health workers milked the state of nearly R2bn in the past two years by allegedly manipulating rosters to create the need for overtime pay. The department has sent a circular in all facilities introducing new rosters meant to cut the need for overtime and ensure employees work 40 hours a week.
But health workers unions are up in arms and have vowed to go ahead with a planned strike next week on Monday over what they claimed was lack of consultation in the implementation of the new working conditions.
According to the study conducted, one rural hospital spent R21m on overtime in 2016/17 and R26m the following year. The study was conducted in 19 public hospitals and seven public healthcare centres in the province and it found discrepancies in the sick and annual leaves.
Labour unions have called on their members to embark on a total shutdown to protest against the implementation of the policy on March 8.
Speaking at a joint press briefing yesterday, Public Servants Association's John Molepo accused the department of unilaterally implementing the circular without consultation.
"We heard the department referring to a study and want to put it on record that we don't have any knowledge of the report," he said.
Molepo added that the unions were calling for an independent investigation to probe what the department has described as looting.
"We are saying our members are overworked and there are no enough personnel and resources to deliver services. It is not true that the department spends its 70% budget on salaries and we believe an independent probe will reveal all that," he said.
Nehawu provincial secretary Jacob Adams said services in all 43 hospitals, more than 400 clinics and emergency stations will be shut down on March 8.
The unions said they've obtained a certificate to embark on a strike from public health and social development sectoral bargaining council.
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