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South Africa: Workers Likely to 'Fall Sick' Next Week
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Business Day (Johannesburg)
25 April 2008
Posted to the web 25 April 2008
Sibongakonke Shoba
Johannesburg
SA WILL next week - for all intents and purposes - be closed.
The tourism industry is smiling, and doctors will be busy as employees wanting sick leave notes for Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to visit them.
Monday, Thursday and Friday are public holidays, and many employees may "add" Tuesday and Wednesday to the list.
Doctors agree that the health of some of their patients, especially those not entitled to leave, may suddenly deteriorate on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"It's a strange circumstance, having to work only two days a week. People with no leave due to them could do that," said Johannesburg doctor Robi Potenza.
"In general, we do have elements of that happening on a Monday and Friday ... It's a phenomenon every week. We measure it on how sick they are. If it's serious, then we book them off," said Potenza.
Sello Mosai, Productivity SA's executive manager said the concentration of these holidays would entice people to take the whole week off . He said a lot of workers would apply for formal leave and advised them to do it upfront.
Mosai said companies needed to plan carefully for next week to avoid losses. "If you consider that companies anticipate these holidays, you expect them to plan for this instead of suffering losses. You expect them to put in more working hours and more people on shifts before the holidays and create more provision to meet demand."
According to a model by economist Mike Schussler, a two- day stay away would cost the economy R5,2bn. "The loss will depend on how companies manage to plan ahead to avert the loss of that magnitude," he said.
Manufacturing and mining would be affected the most. "With agriculture and tourism you can make a plan, but (in) mining and manufacturing, if they don't plan they would take a knock."
He said although companies had enough time to plan for the added May 2 holiday, the country had to minimise the effect of public holidays being declared at such notice.
There was, however, a positive aspect for productivity. "When workers go on breaks they rest and relax. They come back rejuvenated and re-energised and are able to contribute to the productivity of the firm or company," Mosia said.
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Next week would be a bumper time for the tourism industry.
Kruger National Park spokesman Raymond Travers said accommodation facilities were fully booked for this weekend and the next.
Most KwaZulu-Natal holiday accommodation spots are also full.
I woder what could be done about a low economic growth rate.
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