Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has indicated that its health facilities have returned to functioning normally after interruptions by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) strike action which started last Monday.
The department has welcomed the return to normal operations at almost all health-care facilities that were beset by interruptions during the week-long strike by Nehawu members last week.
The department said that staff members who embarked on the illegal strike, including those who could not come to work due to blocked access to health-care facilities, had returned to work in full force today (Tuesday), with only a few challenges reported at facilities such as the KwaDabeka Community Health Centre, which were since resolved.
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane thanked all workers for adhering to a clarion call for them to return to their noble work of saving lives and healing the sick.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to all staff members who remained at work during this period despite the threats and intimidations. Their dedication does not go unnoticed.
“We also want to thank everyone who reported to work today at all our health-care facilities that endured disturbances over the past few days. It is important for everyone to understand that as essential workers, we are expected to always be at the forefront of saving lives on a daily basis,” Simelane said.
“We hope that what transpired last week will always be avoided at all cost as there are many avenues including the bargaining chamber, that are there to engage on any dissatisfaction or grievances that is labour related.”
Simelane also called for patience from the public, as some delays may be experienced while workers and management work hard to make up for lost time in a bid to bring the situation back to normal as soon as possible.
“We also want to apologise and thank members of the public and our clients who might have been affected in any way by the strikes. We have instructed management to work tirelessly to eradicate backlogs, especially in cases of elective surgery, and the completion of post-mortems, so that grieving families may bury their loved ones,” Simelane said.
She said the department remained vigilant in all parts of the province for any developments that may interrupt operations at facility level.
According to documentation signed by KZN Department of Health head Dr Sandile Tshabalala, the department launched an urgent application in the High Court of South Africa (Durban Local Division) and the Labour Court, Durban, on March 7 and March 10, respectively, seeking that the indefinite industrial action and/or strike which Nehawu have organised and participated in from March 6 be declared unlawful and unprotected.
The document also said that both courts (High Court and Labour Court, Durban) have ordered that Nehawu is interdicted and restrained from further participating in and continuing with indefinite industrial action or strike which the Nehawu have organised and commenced from March 6.
“In light of the above, all employees of the Department of Health KZN are hereby directed to report for duty with immediate effect,” the document read.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on health, Dr Kenneth Jacobs, welcomed Monday’s Labour Appeal Court judgment relating to the ongoing health-care workers’ strike.
Jacobs said people’s lives were being endangered as a result of the strike. The court’s judgement had vindicated the view of the Department of Health that health-care workers should not participate in disruptive industrial action, which would be harmful to the lives of people.
“We call upon Nehawu and its members to consider the impact of the strike action on the health and well-being of the sick and to adhere to the court judgment,” Jacobs said.
He added that it would be unfortunate for employees, who had given so much during the Covid pandemic, to fail to comply with the court order, as they would be committing acts of misconduct and subjecting themselves to potential disciplinary action.
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