By BONGANI FUZILE and MALIBONGWE DAYIMANI
A decision by the Eastern Cape transport department to stop paying overtime to their hundreds of traffic officers has forced the officers to boycott work, including attending to accidents or doing VIP escorts.
This unanimous move was taken yesterday afternoon by the officers who are based at the Amathole District offices in Wilsonia. The disgruntled officers had to leave their state vehicles and firearms behind.
About 40 of them, who are from King William's Town, Zwelitsha, Phakamisa and Mdantsane had to hitchhike along the N2 after 4pm yesterday.
Anonymously speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the officers said they were tired of being treated like slaves while they were working awkward hours, sacrificing their family time.
In a letter addressed to the traffic district manager, Ntombikayise Mayeza, the officers said it came to their attention that there was no clear definition between overtime and a public holiday worked by officers.
“You treat the two items the same on your own calculations from district management point of view. These are different issues,” read the letter to Mayeza.
“Overtime is planned by a department and secondly public holidays are nationally regulated and have nothing to do with planned overtime. If there are floods, VIP escorts and snowfalls, these are unplanned overtimes.”
The officers took a decision to stop working. “We have stopped working overtime, doing escorts and other related functions until the matters we have raised are resolved,” the officers said further in the letter.
They also complain about a 2012 circular that was released to them, forcing officers not to drive more than 2500km a month per state vehicle.
In a statement to the Dispatch on Monday transport departmentalal spokeswoman, Ntombizomzi Bala said Traffic Officers who work day shift are not allowed to use government vehicles when going to and from work. "Only Traffic Officers who work between 14h00 and 22h00 that can use these vehicles under certain conditions. These traffic officers who work afternoon shift get to be on standby until the morning shift that starts at 06h00, hence they are allowed to take the government vehicles home".
Traffic officers boycott work over overtime
By BONGANI FUZILE and MALIBONGWE DAYIMANI
A decision by the Eastern Cape transport department to stop paying overtime to their hundreds of traffic officers has forced the officers to boycott work, including attending to accidents or doing VIP escorts.
This unanimous move was taken yesterday afternoon by the officers who are based at the Amathole District offices in Wilsonia. The disgruntled officers had to leave their state vehicles and firearms behind.
About 40 of them, who are from King William's Town, Zwelitsha, Phakamisa and Mdantsane had to hitchhike along the N2 after 4pm yesterday.
Anonymously speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the officers said they were tired of being treated like slaves while they were working awkward hours, sacrificing their family time.
In a letter addressed to the traffic district manager, Ntombikayise Mayeza, the officers said it came to their attention that there was no clear definition between overtime and a public holiday worked by officers.
“You treat the two items the same on your own calculations from district management point of view. These are different issues,” read the letter to Mayeza.
“Overtime is planned by a department and secondly public holidays are nationally regulated and have nothing to do with planned overtime. If there are floods, VIP escorts and snowfalls, these are unplanned overtimes.”
The officers took a decision to stop working. “We have stopped working overtime, doing escorts and other related functions until the matters we have raised are resolved,” the officers said further in the letter.
They also complain about a 2012 circular that was released to them, forcing officers not to drive more than 2500km a month per state vehicle.
In a statement to the Dispatch on Monday transport departmentalal spokeswoman, Ntombizomzi Bala said Traffic Officers who work day shift are not allowed to use government vehicles when going to and from work. "Only Traffic Officers who work between 14h00 and 22h00 that can use these vehicles under certain conditions. These traffic officers who work afternoon shift get to be on standby until the morning shift that starts at 06h00, hence they are allowed to take the government vehicles home".
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