KwaDukuza government mortuary employees have been on a go-slow since last Thursday, April 2 and are threatening to strike if their demands are not met.
According to KZN Public and Allied Workers Unions of South Africa co-ordinator Halalisani Gumede, the problem started when the mortuaries were taken over by the health department from the police in 2006.
“In 2006 experienced workers were scaled at the same level as the newly employed workers,” said Gumede.
He said in 2009 several meetings were held and the department promised to pay those who had their grades lowered in 2006.
“The department did admit that they made a mistake and promised to solve the problem however it was not resolved,” he said.
The union gave the department ten days to solve the issue, after which they plan to strike and all mortuaries in KZN will be closed.
There are more than 20 mortuaries in the province and Gumede said they know that if they strike the innocent families of the bereaved will be badly affected.
“The department will be the one to blame because they seem to not be taking us seriously,” said Gumede.
KZN health department spokesperson Sibongiseni Mkhize said they had noted the go slow at Gale Street in Durban, Pinetown and Stanger.
“The department is working on an arrangement to refer cases to other mortuaries around Durban to ensure that services delivery is not affected,” said Mkhize.
