Dlodlo’s written reply indicates that the government has spent billions on overtime payments in the last two financial years. Her reports further indicates that the Health department spent the most across all provinces, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst her reports fails to show how funds were allocated per department, it indicates that all of them spent money on overtime work, including non-service delivery departments such as the offices of the Premier. 

READ MORE: NW Health spends billions on overtime

In the North West, the office of the Premier spent over R1 million during the 2020/21 financial year, the Northern Cape over half a million and the Free State nearly R30 000. In defence of this expenditure, Dlodlo highlights that overtime work is informed by the service delivery requirements of a department and that it is required for each department to have an approved overtime policy in place. 

OFM News earlier reported that the Health and Education Departments are among those that spent billions, with the North West Education Department having spent more than R20 billion in the last two financial years, following KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

OFM News