Pretoria - The South African Police Services (SAPS) says it has approved the Local Criminal Record Centres’ (LCRC) overtime plan and that overtime due would be paid out.
While it was not procedural to work overtime without approval, SAPS management was of the view that officers had worked and should therefore be paid, said SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale.
Responding to media reports regarding unpaid overtime, Makgale explained that claims were submitted for payment by all the provinces, except Gauteng.
Communication was later sent to the members in Gauteng that their outstanding overtime would be paid.
“It then emerged last week that some officers in Germiston, Vereeniging and Springs had indicated to management that they were not going to work overtime until the overtime remuneration due to them was paid. Non-payment of overtime accrued during the first two weeks of May 2013 was as a result of an administrative oversight.”
Makgale said a meeting was convened with the commanders as well as employee representatives to once again provide clarity on the matter.
“The commanders are now going to consolidate the approved claims of 1 - 13 May so that payment can be made as soon as possible. There is no other outstanding information.”
SAPS management deployed a task team in the three affected areas to attend to crime scenes after hours. It expressed confidence that there has been no crime scene which was not attended to timeously, and that there is no crime scene which has been comprised as a result of the non-payment of overtime issue.
Makgale reiterated that outstanding overtime was not related to the flexi-hour system that was introduced recently.
The purpose of the flexi-hour system changes was to ensure that, by way of example, members who are on standby and sometimes work till mid-night do not have to go to work at their normal shift.
The consultation process was finalised on 9 July 2013 and implemented with effect from 1 August 2013 for this system.
So far, the implementation of the flexi-hours system has been implemented in medium to large offices of the LCRC around the country.
The working of overtime in the SAPS is regulated by a collective agreement that was concluded in the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (Agreement4/2007).
“Therefore, the issue is not a subject of negotiations at the Council,” added Makgale - SAnews.gov.za
