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Cape Town - The increase in national toll roads has shocked and outraged many. Anton Alberts of the Freedom Front Plus demanded to know from Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele whether he would consider retracting a tender for welfare services for SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) staff.
Alberts deemed it inappropriate that "non-work-related" services such as psychologists, biokinetics staff, dieticians, legal practitioners, debt counsellors and nursing staff be provided for employees.
He asked whether the minister would not rather use the funds to lower the fee per kilometre paid by the Gauteng drivers.
No, indeed, said Ndebele, giving a written reply on Monday to a parliamentary question from Alberts.
"Sanral is obliged by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to identify and implement measures to reduce and avoid any possible health risk to its employees," he said.
"Sanral's employee wellness programme therefore not only goes towards meeting the requirements of (the) act but is also part of its overall employer value propositions, which is based on integrity and care."
Ndebele admitted, however, that the author of the request for the proposals "may have been a bit exuberant in adding the neck and shoulder massage, which is not essential and will be removed from the said tender".
However, the other elements are essential for well-being and are largely advisory in nature and/or a referral service.
He pointed out that employee stability within Sanral can be attributed, among other factors, to such services being available.
"This is evident in Sanral's attrition rate that is relatively small and the fact that it was voted as the Best Employer by the CRF Institute for three consecutive years, due to taking a holistic approach towards caring for its employees."
"The Honourable Member should also be informed that Sanral has suffered a scarcity of skills in the engineering and related fields, on which it depends to deliver on its mandate. Therefore, since Sanral competes for these skills with the private sector that offers benefits to its employees that Sanral are not able to provide, Sanral has to find other ways of attracting and retaining these skills.
"It is proven in research that ensuring good wellness for one's employee aided in reducing absenteeism and increased productivity," he said.
He told Alberts that the services were funded from non-toll allocations and represent 0.0067% of non-toll expenditure.
Alberts deemed it inappropriate that "non-work-related" services such as psychologists, biokinetics staff, dieticians, legal practitioners, debt counsellors and nursing staff be provided for employees.
He asked whether the minister would not rather use the funds to lower the fee per kilometre paid by the Gauteng drivers.
No, indeed, said Ndebele, giving a written reply on Monday to a parliamentary question from Alberts.
"Sanral is obliged by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to identify and implement measures to reduce and avoid any possible health risk to its employees," he said.
"Sanral's employee wellness programme therefore not only goes towards meeting the requirements of (the) act but is also part of its overall employer value propositions, which is based on integrity and care."
Ndebele admitted, however, that the author of the request for the proposals "may have been a bit exuberant in adding the neck and shoulder massage, which is not essential and will be removed from the said tender".
However, the other elements are essential for well-being and are largely advisory in nature and/or a referral service.
He pointed out that employee stability within Sanral can be attributed, among other factors, to such services being available.
"This is evident in Sanral's attrition rate that is relatively small and the fact that it was voted as the Best Employer by the CRF Institute for three consecutive years, due to taking a holistic approach towards caring for its employees."
"The Honourable Member should also be informed that Sanral has suffered a scarcity of skills in the engineering and related fields, on which it depends to deliver on its mandate. Therefore, since Sanral competes for these skills with the private sector that offers benefits to its employees that Sanral are not able to provide, Sanral has to find other ways of attracting and retaining these skills.
"It is proven in research that ensuring good wellness for one's employee aided in reducing absenteeism and increased productivity," he said.
He told Alberts that the services were funded from non-toll allocations and represent 0.0067% of non-toll expenditure.
