The strike action undertaken by mortuary employees across 10 State mortuaries on 8 June in parts of Johannesburg, appears to be fizzling down as engagements between the striking forensic assistants and the Public Health Bargaining Council gain traction.
City Buzz reported previously that about 180 forensic assistants resorted to the ‘work-to-rule’ action – which requires that an employee executes duties only for which they are mandated – over an apparent pay grievance. Shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom has, however, continued to disagree with this notion.
In referring to a recent job advert for a Grade 1 forensic pathology officer, Bloom said that specific autopsy procedures formed part of their scope of work.
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“Their duties explicitly include assisting in rendering an efficient forensic autopsy process, which includes evisceration, scribing and typing – in accordance with set standards and guidelines by assisting the forensic pathologists in autopsies,” he said. “Pathologists working without assistants have been heroes, but they are becoming exhausted and the backlog of more than 200 autopsies will take some time to clear. The Gauteng Health Department should hang its head in shame for mishandling this strike, which could have been averted with forceful action rather than pathetic appeasement.”
Meanwhile, head of the department (HOD) of forensic medicine at the University of Pretoria (UP), Professor Gert Saayman has criticised the media for what he said was a ‘severe lack of knowledge’ regarding the practice of forensic death investigations. “There appears to be a very poor understanding pertaining to the scope and nature of medico-legal autopsies and specifically, the roles and functions of the medical practitioners responsible for such autopsies – and those of their assistants,” said Saayman.
“For centuries, both internationally and locally, pathologists have conducted autopsies with the help of assistants who are not medically qualified.
Read: MUST READ: No end in sight for mortuary strike
“The role of such assistants is to aid in preparing the body, positioning and presenting it for the pathologist and to assist with specified dissection procedures.” Saayman also rubbished forensic officers’ reasons for embarking on protest action. “It is a reductionist and simplistic representation to contend that the mere cutting open of or removal of tissues or organs from a body, constitutes the conducting of a post-mortem examination.
“To conduct a post-mortem examination means that due regard is had for the full medical history and circumstance of death, to plan and strategize regarding the scope and nature of the examination required for that particular case and taking into account the relevant occupational health perspectives and risks.
“Every person who has applied for a position as a forensic officer (assistant) within the respective provincial departments of health knew full well and in advance what the scope and nature of their expected duties would be; in particular, that they would be expected to assist with dissection and evisceration duties – this has been standard practice for decades.”
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