Limpopo Health Department considers remote work for admin workers
In August, National Treasury suggested that the provincial department explores saving costs on travelling, accommodation and conferencing in order to maximise the available funds.
POLOKWANE – The Health Department is among other state departments that have been instructed to consider operational changes in an effort to curb expenditure, of which staff working remotely is one of the proposed initiatives.
In August, National Treasury suggested that the provincial department explores saving costs on travelling, accommodation and conferencing in order to maximise the available funds.
Days later, the department’s chief financial officer, Justice Mudau ordered the deputy director general, Matome Mawasha to request and submit a report on the number of employees who can either work from home, or who can find a flexible working arrangement, across all provincial offices of the department.
He cautioned, however, that this should be done meticulously so as not to impact service delivery.
The document categorically states that this arrangement was one of the several austerity measures taken to end the department’s financial woes and to maximise the funds available in the budget.
Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said they have determined that it is largely administrative staff who could work from home, an initiative that proved effective during the national Covid-19 lockdown.
“We needed to know the number of employees who could work from home to estimate the savings the department would make from utility costs such as water, electricity, telephones and other consumables. These are basic amenities the employer provides for the employees when they are working from the office.”
He however reiterated that the project is still just a study to see if the department can proactively effect a saving in expenses.
Responding to the suggestion, the Conty Lebepe Foundation insisted that the idea to develop these austerity measures may have been brought about by a deeper hole in the Health Department’s coffers than meets the eye.
Foundation chairperson, Conty Lebepe referred to financial mismanagements cases which had landed on the desk of the Public Protector, and that have been scrutinised by the public several years ago.
Among others, he pointed to the department as a contributing factor to its own woes, making mention of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) procurement contract worth R193m which had been awarded to a company that did not appear on the official database of government suppliers.
