EMS personnel want better working conditions

Provincial Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel affiliated to the National Public Service Workers Union (Npswu) marched to the Office of the Premier yesterday (Wednesday) to hand over a memorandum of grievances.
Members want the Department of Health to fill its vacant positions and also to purchase fully equipped ambulances for use in the execution of their duties.
Walter Lukhuleni, National Education Organiser for Napswu said their members are working 150 hours per month and it is not conducive for them. “We want the Department to reduce the working hours. We also want the upgrade of offices used by our members. We want proper working equipments, proper communications tools and cell phone allowance our members don’t have those things and it is difficult for them do their work,” Lukhuleni said.
Lukhuleni added that they want the removal of SZ Mashapa, Operations Manager at Emergency Medical Services for Capricorn District.
Union members are accusing Mashapa of failing to manage the office and prioritising their needs.
Provincial Government Spokesperson Phuti Seloba thanked the protesters for their peaceful march and promised they would respond to their memorandum in seven days. “Normally when people have protest marches they throw things but they marched peacefully. They wanted tools of trade to make their jobs easier and it is something,” Seloba said.
Afterwards posters with the wording ‘Phophi must go’ and ‘Phophi is corrupt’, referring to Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba, were left behind by protesters at main gate of the Office of the Premier.
Ramathuba’s Spokesperson Thabiso Teffo said anyone who alleges that someone is corrupt must prove it. “This can’t be tolerated. We have looked at their memorandum and it has nothing to do with corruption,” Teffo said.

Story: Herbert Rachuene
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