SEDIBENG – This is after The National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) rejected a 4.7% increase offer from the government.
The union has since decided to down tools demanding a 10 to 12% increase despite the department of Public Service and Administration interdicting the strike.
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Several hospitals saw health practitioners blockading hospital entrances with burning tires, rocks, and debris.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Gauteng Provincial Secretary Patrick Kehomile said the decision to go on a full-blown strike is a result of a failed government.
“We engaged with the department on wage increments and we reached a deadlock. The government wasn’t negotiating in good faith. They [government] rather imposed a 3% non-pensionable increment to all the public servants. Since our demands fall on deaf ears, and we not winning on the table, we then decided to down tools,” he said.
Kehomile said not only hospitals were closed due to the strike, but other institutions are also on shutdown.
“We have closed all the DPD departments so that the government can call us and engage with us in good faith. We closed clinics, SARS offices, Home Affairs, and many others,” he added.
The Kehomile said should the government fail to come to the people, they will continue with the strike.
“We want the employer to come back to us and come up with a reasonable offer, maybe we can reconsider. If the government doesn’t come back to the people, we are going to withdraw labor, peacefully without intimidating anyone nor, destroying infrastructure,” he said.
Health spokesman Motalatale Modiba said services are impacted at some of their facilities across the province due to the strike action.
“Ambulances are unable to attend to emergencies as they can’t leave or enter facilities due to the blocking of entrances by striking workers. This is affecting the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services’ incident
response time leading to delays in responding to distress calls from the public.
“The Department apologises for the inconvenience the situation is causing to patients including to family members who might be trying to reach them. We advise the public to use alternative facilities near them which are not affected. Despite the situation, care continues to be given to patients already in our facilities even with limited staff,” he said.
Bodibe said facilities affected in the Vaal include Kopanong Hospital, Sebokeng Regional Hospital, Heidelberg District Hospital, Johan Heyns Community Health Centre, Levai Mbatha Community Health Centre, Sebokeng Zone 17 Clinic.
