Big hour change for traffic officers in major South African city who only work half the month

Johannesburg Metro Police (JMPD) officers only work 16 days a month on a schedule that sees them getting four days on duty and four days off.

This is according to Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) officers who went on strike last week, seeking equal pay to their peers around the country.

“Johannesburg Metro Police Department officers work 16 days per month (4 days on, 4 days off) with higher salaries than EMPD officers,” said EMPD officials in a letter of demand.

“EMPD officers work 24 days per month with less rest and lower salaries, placing them at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in neighbouring municipalities.”

The schedule for the JMPD officials, implemented in 2018 after a decade of negotations with the Local Labour Forum, is perhaps not as relaxed as it sounds.

In return for working fewer days, the officers committed to putting in 12-hour shifts a day instead of the previous eight hours.

As such, they still work 48 hours a week assuming no overtime, more than the average 40 to 45-hour workweeks of most people employed in the private sector.

Things are about to change, maybe

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed that the entity’s law enforcement officers are presently operating under a shift system that consists of four days on duty followed by four days off duty.

This, however, may be about to change.

“This arrangement was established in 2018 and has now reached its expiration date,” said Fihla in response to queries from TopAuto.

He added that the Department is actively reviewing the shift system, and should there be a change in working hours, it will be communicated to the public as and when negotiations conclude.

It’s possible that the JMPD could implement a 24/7 schedule going forward.

There’s been a big push from the Department of Transport to get metropolitan police departments around the country to adopt round-the-clock shifts in the face of alarming crime statistics.

Only the national and Western Cape traffic police, and more recently, Mpumalanga, currently operate on a 24/7 basis.

“It is crucial that all provinces fast track their processes to obtain approval for the implementation of the shift system to ensure visibility of officers on the road daily and at all hours,” said Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, in July 2024.

“The Department of Transport will monitor and ensure the introduction of the new shift system by 31 March 2025.”

It remains unclear whether the JMPD will adjust the hours of its officers to comply with the 24/7 schedule.

It has two obvious choices; it can either keep the 12-hour brackets and run two shifts a day, or revert back to eight hours and operate three daily shifts.