KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department Head Mr Chris Hlabisa has dismissed reports saying there would be no overtime pay for traffic officers in the holidays as untrue, inaccurate and misleading to the public.
Reacting to the report, Hlabisa said in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, overtime worked by any government employee should not exceed 30 percent of their salary and that includes traffic officers. The operational plan for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s Road Traffic inspectorate (RTI) for this financial year clearly states that each officer is entitled only to 40 hours of planned overtime and that still stands.
Further to that the provincial government cost cutting measures, which also includes the Department of Transport, does not affect Road Traffic inspectorates’ overtime during the festive season in any way. The operational plan clearly stipulates:
* During December planned overtime is to be limited to 56 hours per officer and in January 48 hours and this is in line with the original annual overtime plan approved by the head of department in April 2009
* Any overtime in excess of this must be supported by an occurrence book entry indicating the South African Police Services (SAPS) or ambulance and emergency medical services number as proof.
Bearing in mind that the department now boasts 938 Road Traffic inspectorate officers and in December 102 additional new traffic officers will be graduating, the department’s law enforcement unit is therefore better capacitated to tackle the challenge of policing the densely populated province of KwaZulu-Natal.
“I can safely say we are confident with the number of officers that we have and the overtime hours planned for them will not hinder Road Traffic inspectorate services. As a province, we are more than ready for the festive season. It is the behaviour and dedication of officers that can either invite or chase away offenders from this province and not the overtime,” said Hlabisa.
Media contact:
Chris Hlabisa
Cell: 083 628 1476
Issued by: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
17 November 2009
Source: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
(http://www.kzntransport.gov.za/)
