Multiple strikes cripple Delmas
The Nehawu and unemployment strikes at Daybreak Farms followed after the two-day strike that brought Delmas to a standstill on February 20 and 21, during which all roads in and out of Delmas were blocked by strikers demanding the mines employ local workers.
Angry strikers turned away workers and patients at the Bernice Samuel Hospital in Delmas on Monday.
Members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) embarked on a national strike on March 6 to demand a 10% salary increase.
These workers include healthcare professionals.
According to Nehawu, the union wants such a salary increase for all public sectors. However, the government has only offered 3%.
Services were also interrupted at the Bernice Samuel Hospital. At the time of going to print, the strikers said they would continue their strike indefinitely.
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Unconfirmed reports of violence erupting on Tuesday morning were also received.
Non-striking workers at the hospital posted on social media that they are being “intimidated, threatened and not allowed to continue to work”.
The strike has brought fear and insecurity to patients needing urgent medical attention and those dependent on the hospital’s services for their prescriptions and medicine.
A patient who wants to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation told Streeknuus that she is a diabetic.
“I visit the hospital in Delmas once a month when I have my blood sugar tested, and I also receive my medication. I travel by taxi from Botleng, Ext 3.
“I do not have money to return whenever the strike is over. I fear for my life because I cannot be without my diabetes medicine,” explained the woman.
“Where shall I go for help because the people told me all the hospitals are closed?” she asked.
In another strike, 250 strikers gathered at the gates of Daybreak Farms and blocked the R50 on March 6.
The strikers are part of the so-called unemployment forum. They want local residents to be employed at the facility.
A meeting was held on March 7 and the group dispersed. According to information received, a follow-up meeting is scheduled for March 9.
According to DA Clr Diane Bath, workers at the provincial licence offices in Copper Street, Botleng, are also on strike.
These strikes followed a two-day strike that brought Delmas to a standstill on February 20 and 21.
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At the time, protestors blocked off all roads in and out of Delmas and demanded that the mines in the area employ local workers. (Streeknuus, February 24).
During this two-day illegal protest, 19 people were arrested and one of them was found in possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. They were released on February 23.
After two days of a total shutdown of the town, a memorandum was handed to the mine houses in the region with a list of demands. The shutdown was suspended pending the mines’ response.
According to information from a reliable source, the mines asked for an extension on their response.
A trustworthy informant told Streeknuus the final deadline, agreed to by the strikers, falls within the same period as the planned national shutdown by the EFF on March 20.
“Poor service delivery, little or no water and load-shedding together with unemployment strikes, unhappy residents, Nehawu and a pending EFF strike all in one paints a bleak picture for Delmas. Only the future will tell,” a prominent businessperson told Streeknuus.
