Luphert Chilwane
26 June 2009
Johannesburg — THE Junior Doctors' Association said yesterday it was unhappy with the new pay offer for state doctors made by the government on Wednesday, and it was challenging the Department of Health to a debate to hear how doctors felt about the new offer.
Association spokesman Bandile Hadebe said yesterday that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's announcement of R1bn worth of pay increases was an exaggeration aimed at creating confusion.
"There will be no significant changes to our current salaries with what the minister is offering us. Instead, he has incorporated doctors' housing, car and rural allowances into our basic salaries so that they can be taxable," he said. Hadebe said the minister had ignored the public doctors' initial R3bn wage increase proposal. "He is exaggerating the figures by pronouncing a R1bn wage offer," he said.
Most junior doctors earn between R7000 and R14000 a month after tax. The minister has proposed a salary of R314023 a year for medical interns who were earning R205604 to R239744, an increase of 31%-53% with the lowest paid receiving 53%. He said on Wednesday the increase would enable the department to address the gross inequalities that existed across the health system.
Hadebe said the minister chose to announce the offer outside the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council "to create a certain cloud of confusion among our members". "I am disappointed with the minister because, it seems to me, he is getting wrong advice from his team. I would like to challenge him to a public debate to hear how we feel about the offer," he said.
He said the doctors' strike would continue in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, and that the association was mobilising other provinces. Phophi Ramathuba, South African Medical Association spokeswoman, said the association would meet its members to discuss whether to accept the offer.
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), which earlier supported the doctors' demands, said yesterday it was satisfied with the announcement. It was a sign "that government is listening to the voice of the people of SA that doctors should be paid properly". Floyd Shivambu, ANCYL spokesman, said the organisation was encouraging doctors to accept the proposed salary increases.
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