The Department of Health in Limpopo has decided to suspend two contentious circulars that led to doctors and nurses engaging in labour protests.
Medical staff at the public hospitals in Polokwane and Mankweng downed tools recently demanding that the department scrap the two circulars.
The health employees are against the proposed reduction of payments for additional work or overtime.
Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has met with senior management after the eruption of protests that saw patients being turned back.
Ramathuba says there are instances in which some employees abuse the system of overtime payments.
“Having listened to everyone, one came to a conclusion to speak to the executive management, the HOD and the team to say probably we need to suspend these circulars and after suspending them we will then be able to look at other ways and means on how to be innovative. Because the reality of the matter is that there is in certain quarters an abuse of overtime and we need to curb the abuse of overtime,” says Ramathuba.
The video below is reporting on the unhappiness of health workers in Limpopo:
