MP: Probe doctors who help absent cops
2012-02-15 09:15
Cape Town - An MP has called for doctors who help police officers abuse sick leave to be investigated, the Cape Times newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Chairperson of Parliament’s police oversight committee Sindi Chikunga was responding to high levels of absenteeism at the Maitland police station in Cape Town.
“It means there is nobody working at this police station, period," Chikunga said in her opening remarks as police management appeared before the committee on Tuesday to discuss an audit of building leases.
At the police station the 85 staff took a total of 6 579 sick days in one year, at an average of 77.2 days each.
“As a matter of fact there are people in the department who, according to the sick leave register are supposed to have died, because there isn’t any part of their body that has not been ill,” Chikunga said.
“However, they are strong and kicking. They are not dead.”
To make matters worse, some of these individuals had been promoted despite their atrocious work ethic, Chikunga said.
“I think it is a matter we will be discussing with the department during our hearings. It means we are actually rewarding such behaviour,” she said.
- SAPA
