Doctors in trouble for overtime abuse

2013-02-08 11:21

(File) (Shutterstock)

Johannesburg - Six Gauteng doctors are facing disciplinary hearings for allegedly abusing the overtime system, the health department said on Friday.

"The disciplinary process followed an investigation done last year. Disciplinary hearings against six of them have not been completed yet," spokesperson Simon Zwane said.

A total of nine doctors were called to account. Two of them had been found guilty, and one not guilty.

This week, doctors at several hospitals in Ekurhuleni, and at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, threatened to stop working overtime because the department still owed them money for extra time worked.

The Star newspaper reported on Friday that a doctor claimed R822 583 for overtime between March 2010 to April 2011.

Another was paid R698 765, which was far above the threshold doctors were allowed to claim for overtime.

Doctors who claimed more than 30% of their salary in overtime were required to motivate to the department why it was exceeded, and provide evidence.

The department would continue to investigate the alleged abuse of the system if more evidence came forward, Zwane said.

- SAPA