Doctors are being instructed to continue working overtime despite unresolved contractual issues and without payment for hours already worked.
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The Public Servants Association (PSA) demands urgent action and accountability by the Gauteng Department of Health regarding the non-payment of overtime remuneration for Doctors under the Johannesburg Health District.
According to PSA members, overtime submissions were made by the end of February 2025, giving the Department enough time to process payments without delay. Instead, the Department called Clinical Managers to a meeting to announce a unilateral change in overtime conditions, shifting from option C: 32 to 48 hours to option D: 52 to 80 hours.
In addition, contracts signed by Doctors were amended without their knowledge or consent. Signatures were allegedly removed and placed on altered documents. The PSA considers this action as fraudulent.
Doctors are being instructed to continue working overtime despite unresolved contractual issues and without payment for hours already worked.
The PSA is aware that 10 000 public health posts are reported to be vacant, which now necessitates overtime to be worked by current employees.
The PSA, however, condemns the Department’s approach of threatening disciplinary action instead of resolving the core problem. Forcing Doctors to work more hours of overtime instead of filling critical posts does not solve the problem.
This will only compromise the quality of healthcare received by members of the public, as they will be assisted by exhausted Doctors.
The PSA will not allow the Union’s members to be bullied. The PSA demands the immediate payment of all outstanding overtime remuneration to Doctors to ensure uninterrupted service delivery in Gauteng’s healthcare system.
The Public Servants Association