News24 reports that the SA Medical Association (SAMA) “took drastic steps” after it became aware of a communique circulating in some of the hospitals and provincial offices of the Gauteng health department regarding non-payment of newly appointed doctors.
"As a result, the Director-General of Health has made an undertaking that all the doctors affected by the circular will receive their payment by no later than Friday, February 1,” the association indicated in a statement. SAMA said it went further to make contact with provincial heads of department “to ascertain as to whether payment will indeed be effected and received an affirmation in that regard that payment will be made timeously." This followed reports on Wednesday that several Gauteng medical interns and community service doctors had not been paid their January salaries on 28 January. Medical interns at various hospitals received WhatsApp messages and memos to the effect that salary payments would not be effected owing to logistical reasons. ANA reported that payments could be delayed for up to a month. SAMA's Eddie Ngwenya reportedly said that should the department fail to keep to its commitment, doctors would act.
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