Nearly 100 traffic officers in the Vhembe District have not been paid for overtime worked in March this year. The Limpopo Department of Transport has confirmed the delay, saying the issue was identified internally rather than through formal complaints from affected officers.
Officers based at the Makhado station said they were informed that their overtime claims had been submitted, but payment was still pending because of delays in authorising expenditure. Many expressed frustration over the lack of communication and the prolonged wait.
One officer, who asked to remain anonymous for professional reasons, said the situation had become financially stressful. "Some of us made debts expecting to receive that money. It stresses us. For example, I have a helper at home, and I had to skip this month without paying her, which is a problem," the officer said.
Another officer, also speaking anonymously, said they had expected payment in April. "No one has said anything. We were told they were still waiting for expenditure authorisation. We asked the station head, but no one has given us any reason to this day," he said.
Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said the department had become aware of the issue when a request for expenditure authority had been submitted by the Vhembe District in April to process the outstanding claims.
"While the initial batch of payments was processed, 97 officers were inadvertently left out. A second request to pay March overtime for these officers has been signed and is currently awaiting final approval," said Chuene.
She explained that overtime claims are managed through a structured process guided by an approved framework. This includes documentation, budget alignment, and approval through expenditure authority channels. Final payments are subject to available budget allocations.
Chuene added that the department was aware of the matter and that the outstanding claims were in the process of being finalised.