Medical interns unlikely to get salaries

With January nearing its end about 90 medical interns and community service doctors across the province are worried that they might not get their salaries. It was reported that they have not yet received and signed employment contracts with the Department of Health, although they have been attending to a number of calls since the beginning of the month.
A statement released by the South African Medical Association (Sama) Limpopo last Thursday, informed that during what was regarded as an urgent Sama Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting an overwhelming number of calls from the doctors, majority of which are medical interns indicated that their information has not yet been captured on the persal system.
Sama Provincial Secretary Seshoka Muila was quoted to have said that this therefore translates to the risk of non-payment of January salaries or partial payment with omission of commuted overtime and or rural allowance.
“It was during the Sama and the department’s welcoming function that Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba indicated with no ambiguity that all the doctors must be paid in full with all the allowances at the end of the month. She went on to point out that doctors must visit the Human Resource (HR) offices in their respective hospitals and remain there until (their details) are captured on the system and they are in possession of Persal numbers,” Muila said.
He further said Sama shall therefore continue on the same tone should its members or supporters not get their salaries with all the allowances. The association went on to demand that the Ramathuba holds accountable those responsible for the disaster which threatens the stability of the healthcare system in Limpopo.
“We expect Ramathuba to exercise her leadership role and demote, suspend or dismiss all those who continue to undermine the medical profession We will fight for this demand” stressed Muila and added that they have to deal with payment issues in January annually.
Department of Health Spokesperson, Thabiso Teffo confirmed that Ramathuba divulged during Sama’s PEC meeting that all doctors must be paid on time and asked medical interns to visit the HR department at their respective workplaces to be captured on the persal system. He said it was every employee’s responsibility and right to visit the HR department to check if their documents are in order. He added the department is confident that all medical interns will get paid at the end of the month and reiterated that they are not yet certain as to how many interns had already received persal numbers.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za