Striking state healthcare workers have been ordered to end a week-long protest that has adversely affected clinical services across South Africa’s major hospitals.
Patients were left stranded at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein and other hospitals in the Free State after members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) went on strike last week demanding a 10 percent salary increase, instead of the 4.7 percent offer that the government had put on the table.
However, operations are expected to start returning to normal after the Labour Appeal Court on Monday ordered the striking healthcare workers to end the protest.
According to the court interdict, the workers are expected back on duty by Tuesday morning.
“The strike has disrupted provision of essential healthcare services in the country, leading to untold suffering and frustrations amongst the public who desperately needed healthcare and life-saving treatment,” Health Minister Joe Phaahla said.
The Labour Relations Act prohibits essential services workers from engaging in strike action which is detrimental to healthcare services with a risk of loss of life, he told a press briefing.
Union leaders could not be immediately reached for comment.
NEHAWU leader Zola Saphetha told a news conference that the government’s demand to end the dispute “is another demonstration of how far government is prepared to undermine and collapse collective bargaining and the dispute resolution mechanism by imposing their will on workers”.
The military said it had deployed medics to help in the affected hospitals at the request of the health department. – Staff Reporter
