While patients continue to suffer in the wake of an ongoing strike by health-care workers, KwaZulu-Natal MEC Nomagugu Simelane says the protesters’ demands cannot be tackled at local government level.
“Workers’ demands fall outside of the jurisdiction of the provincial government. It becomes very difficult to negotiate in our different corners on matters that are on a national level and at the level of the bargaining chamber,” Simelane said.
She said the department expected the union’s leadership to understand that most health-care workers were classified under essential services and should be at work.
"It becomes even worse when you have health workers who are stopping patients from accessing health-care services. These are people who swore under oath not to hinder people’s access to health care, which is an inalienable human right. We therefore call upon leaders of organised labour to desist from these actions,“ Simelane said.
On Wednesday, striking staffers at the Stanger hospital attacked an ambulance crew from IPSS Medical.
They allegedly tried to remove a young patient from the vehicle and later prevented paramedics from leaving.
IPSS spokesperson Samantha Meyrick said after the crew was able to get the critically ill child into the hospital, local security and KwaDukuza Municipality peace officers intervened and the team was able to leave the facility. She added that one member was assaulted but was not seriously injured.
Protest action has been seen at hospitals around the country.
Health-care workers affiliated to the Nehawu trade union are demanding a 10% pay increase. The union said the country’s more than 1 million public service workers worked hard to ensure that citizens received public services.
“They endure difficult living conditions as a result of low wages and the inability to access state housing. This includes the fact that their buying power has been eroded since the non-implementation of the last leg of Resolution 1 of 2018. They commit their time and skills by overextending themselves in their posts because the government has failed to fill vacant posts for years and overtime is generally not paid,” said Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi.
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