As part of an ongoing protest against the non-payment of overtime, Eastern Cape provincial traffic officers from the Amathole District have decided to down tools.
Yesterday traffic officers from six local municipalities within the district did not work remaining instead in their offices.
Among other reasons they cited the four months of non-payment of overtime and a “restriction” by district head Ntombikayise Mayeza on using vehicles.
Officers said they were demotivated to work as they prepare for next month’s Road Safety Month campaigns.
An officer who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, said they had been told not to use vehicles once they hit a certain number of kilometres.
“All the vehicles we are using have reached 2500km for this month, meaning we have to stop using them until the start of next month.
“We are not going to touch work now. You can go all over our operating area, you won’t find any of the officers on the streets. The worst thing is that we are supposed to plan for Road Safety Month campaigns but are all feeling let down.”
The issue regarding overtime payment is taking place across the province with officers in the Cacadu District claiming they have not been paid overtime in the last six months.
To show solidarity with their colleagues, Mthatha traffic officers refused to escort the vehicle convoy of Baleka Mbete as she was getting married at the weekend in Mqanduli.
Officers said the Mthatha station manager and his counterpart from Lusikisiki had to drive the vehicles to give support.
This week the transport department told the Daily Dispatch that officers on day shift, were not allowed to use government vehicles to get to and from work.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial chairman Loyiso Mdingi said the blame lay with department of transport management who constantly failed to engage with them on the issue.
“These are the acts of the department management who don’t consult with us when something like this arises. We condemn that, but at the same time, this move by our members is not sanctioned by Popcru. We will urgently engage them to find solutions.”
On Monday, hundreds of traffic officers in the Eastern Cape boycotted work following a decision by the Eastern Cape transport department to stop paying them overtime.
The officers are now refusing to attend to accident scenes or to escort VIP motorcades.
The officers had to leave their state vehicles and firearms behind after work on Monday and again yesterday when they went home.
Currently none of the officers are available to be on standby or to work overtime. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Traffic cops in pay protest
Yesterday traffic officers from six local municipalities within the district did not work remaining instead in their offices.
Among other reasons they cited the four months of non-payment of overtime and a “restriction” by district head Ntombikayise Mayeza on using vehicles.
Officers said they were demotivated to work as they prepare for next month’s Road Safety Month campaigns.
An officer who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, said they had been told not to use vehicles once they hit a certain number of kilometres.
“All the vehicles we are using have reached 2500km for this month, meaning we have to stop using them until the start of next month.
“We are not going to touch work now. You can go all over our operating area, you won’t find any of the officers on the streets. The worst thing is that we are supposed to plan for Road Safety Month campaigns but are all feeling let down.”
The issue regarding overtime payment is taking place across the province with officers in the Cacadu District claiming they have not been paid overtime in the last six months.
To show solidarity with their colleagues, Mthatha traffic officers refused to escort the vehicle convoy of Baleka Mbete as she was getting married at the weekend in Mqanduli.
Officers said the Mthatha station manager and his counterpart from Lusikisiki had to drive the vehicles to give support.
This week the transport department told the Daily Dispatch that officers on day shift, were not allowed to use government vehicles to get to and from work.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial chairman Loyiso Mdingi said the blame lay with department of transport management who constantly failed to engage with them on the issue.
“These are the acts of the department management who don’t consult with us when something like this arises. We condemn that, but at the same time, this move by our members is not sanctioned by Popcru. We will urgently engage them to find solutions.”
On Monday, hundreds of traffic officers in the Eastern Cape boycotted work following a decision by the Eastern Cape transport department to stop paying them overtime.
The officers are now refusing to attend to accident scenes or to escort VIP motorcades.
The officers had to leave their state vehicles and firearms behind after work on Monday and again yesterday when they went home.
Currently none of the officers are available to be on standby or to work overtime. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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