A DECISION to stop overtime payments by the Eastern Cape department of transport will see provincial roads go unstaffed by traffic officers on public holidays and weekday evenings.
The move leaves motorists vulnerable on some of the country’s most dangerous roads – including the N2 between East London and Mthatha and the R61 between Port St Johns and Cradock.
Traffic officers were angered by a decision taken by the Eastern Cape department of transport to stop overtime payments and treat public holidays as normal work days.
More than 500 officers have embarked on a go-slow, backed by their union, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), and have vowed not to work on public holidays or between 4.30pm and 8am.
Department spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said traffic volumes on public holidays were low and it cost the department a lot to pay overtime for them.
“The department has observed through the years that a public holiday is not normally busy as our motoring public tends to drive the day before a public holiday ,” said Kumbaca.
Popcru then called for officers to stop working on public holidays and not to do any standby duty. The union’s provincial secretary, Simphiwe Komna, confirmed this, saying the department had failed to consult them.
The department has also cut weekend duty hours from 32 hours to 16.
Transport regulation general manager Romilla Metune said the department would not pay overtime on public holidays.
“The district manager must monitor the expenditure of overtime to ensure that it is kept within the budget. There will be no overtime on public holidays and this must be brought to the attention of all traffic officers,” said Metune in a document seen by Dispatch.
A senior traffic officer who spoke to the Dispatch on condition of anonymity said the department had had a functioning shift system for many years and the decision had shocked them.
“We do not welcome this, it is shocking as we had a working shift system that assisted on our roads,” said the officer.
In 2008, under the then head of department, Dr Annandale de Villiers the department introduced a shift system that met officers’ approval. Officers were allowed to work from 6am to 10pm. Between 10pm and 6am officers were on standby. De Villiers said the system was to increase officers’ presence on provincial roads.
But Metune denied this . “The province has not succeeded in achieving a shift system due to the non-declaration of traffic officers as essential services,” said Metune.
Komna said: “We have no option but to stick to our established working hours from 8am to 4.30pm and until further notice all traffic officers will not work on public holidays and on standby duties,” he said.
A senior traffic officer based in Mthatha told the Dispatch that earlier this week they had been put on standby duty on the N2 but officers had refused to work. “After the scare of Nelson Mandela we are always on high alert along the N2 but this time officers refused to work. We are not valued as workers hence we decided to go slow,” he said.
Arrive Alive spokesman, Tshepo Machaea promised motorists that all will be safe. “We have other law enforcers that we work with like SAPS and municipal police, who are always assisting. We urge motorists, if things are not resolved soon, to behave in their own safety interests and that of other road users,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Go slow over pay cut row
The move leaves motorists vulnerable on some of the country’s most dangerous roads – including the N2 between East London and Mthatha and the R61 between Port St Johns and Cradock.
Traffic officers were angered by a decision taken by the Eastern Cape department of transport to stop overtime payments and treat public holidays as normal work days.
More than 500 officers have embarked on a go-slow, backed by their union, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), and have vowed not to work on public holidays or between 4.30pm and 8am.
Department spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said traffic volumes on public holidays were low and it cost the department a lot to pay overtime for them.
“The department has observed through the years that a public holiday is not normally busy as our motoring public tends to drive the day before a public holiday ,” said Kumbaca.
Popcru then called for officers to stop working on public holidays and not to do any standby duty. The union’s provincial secretary, Simphiwe Komna, confirmed this, saying the department had failed to consult them.
The department has also cut weekend duty hours from 32 hours to 16.
Transport regulation general manager Romilla Metune said the department would not pay overtime on public holidays.
“The district manager must monitor the expenditure of overtime to ensure that it is kept within the budget. There will be no overtime on public holidays and this must be brought to the attention of all traffic officers,” said Metune in a document seen by Dispatch.
A senior traffic officer who spoke to the Dispatch on condition of anonymity said the department had had a functioning shift system for many years and the decision had shocked them.
“We do not welcome this, it is shocking as we had a working shift system that assisted on our roads,” said the officer.
In 2008, under the then head of department, Dr Annandale de Villiers the department introduced a shift system that met officers’ approval. Officers were allowed to work from 6am to 10pm. Between 10pm and 6am officers were on standby. De Villiers said the system was to increase officers’ presence on provincial roads.
But Metune denied this . “The province has not succeeded in achieving a shift system due to the non-declaration of traffic officers as essential services,” said Metune.
Komna said: “We have no option but to stick to our established working hours from 8am to 4.30pm and until further notice all traffic officers will not work on public holidays and on standby duties,” he said.
A senior traffic officer based in Mthatha told the Dispatch that earlier this week they had been put on standby duty on the N2 but officers had refused to work. “After the scare of Nelson Mandela we are always on high alert along the N2 but this time officers refused to work. We are not valued as workers hence we decided to go slow,” he said.
Arrive Alive spokesman, Tshepo Machaea promised motorists that all will be safe. “We have other law enforcers that we work with like SAPS and municipal police, who are always assisting. We urge motorists, if things are not resolved soon, to behave in their own safety interests and that of other road users,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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