MBOMBELA – Following recent protests by health workers the provincial health department has confirmed that they are busy processing all outstanding overtime claims for its workers.

According to the department,a circular was issued to all health facilities informing all hospital Chief Executive Officers (CEO’s) that all outstanding overtime claims for health employees must reach the Head Office in Mbombela no later than August 22.

However this was not completely done as some health facilities did not submit, whilst others submitted overtime claims that have outstanding documents.

“This has since led to the delay in the payments of some overtime claims. Whilst the department is dealing with the challenges of overtime claims, meetings where concurrently held with all unions representing the health workers which includes amongst others, NEHAWU, DENOSA, HOSPESA, PSA during a bargaining meeting held on August 27, where they were informed of the challenges that the department is encountering with the overtime documents that are submitted by their members,”said the department’s spokesperson,Mr Dumisani Malamule.

He added that the challenges included amongst others, overtime claims submitted without pre-approvals, some documents not signed and some claims submitted without the required documents such as an attendance register which serves as proof that the employees have indeed worked the overtime.

“The department has since re-iterated the submission of all outstanding overtime claims by employees  for payment.

The department however does not condone the neglect of work by employees who are doing essential services as this is against the policy.We view the actions of striking employees in a serious light and actions will be taken against all those who have bridged the code of conduct which states clearly that no employee who is doing essential service is allowed to strike,” continued Malamule.

The department  also requested all employees to be patient while payments are being processed.

“The lives of patients are very important and no situation amounts to the negligence  of work by health workers,” concluded Malamule.