But the council has not specified when the new shift system will start.
It will apply to junior doctors for the first five years of work, including the community service period.
The decision is a victory for the Safe Working Hours Campaign, which has campaigned for the shift limit to be lowered.
The campaign gained momentum after the death of junior doctor Ilne Makwat, who crashed her car after a 30-hour shift.
Doctors allege fatigue caused her to fall asleep at the wheel.
"The situation is tricky because there is a shortage of doctors so they cannot cut shifts to 16 hours," explained Zahid Badroodien, spokesman for the Junior Doctors' Association of SA.
Dr Alastair McAlpine, at Cape Town Red Cross Children's Hospital, called the reduction a "good start".
"The data are clear that cognitive decline is serious after 16 hours," he said.
Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge
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