Health workers demand permanent contracts
The frustrated protesters initially gathered at the gate of Bara Hospital and were allegedly dispersed by the police with rubber bullets, leaving some alleged sustained minor injuries.
The Gauteng Department of Health workers recently took to the streets to protest against post Covid-19 contract termination.
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This includes contracts of EPWP, support, admin and allied workers in which some have been working with the department for close to eight years.
The frustrated protesters initially gathered at the gate of Bara Hospital and were allegedly dispersed by the police with rubber bullets, leaving some allegedly sustaining minor injuries.
They then made their near Lilian Ngoyi Community Clinic where they continued with the peaceful protest and were joined by members of various unions including Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU), HosperSA, and NEHAWU, to name a few.
According to the chairperson of NEHAWU Soweto Clinics, Joseph Maoto they are giving the Department at least seven days to respond to all their demands including absorbing the workers permanently.
Maoto added that employees have been with the Department for a long time and have all the required experience therefore; it will be fair for the Department to take them permanently than hiring new workers without experience.
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“These are workers who have been loyal to the Department. It shocks us that the Department now wants to end their employment just like that. We are speaking about people who go above and beyond their scope of work due to the lack of staff in our hospitals and clinics. We then demand that they are hired permanently with immediate effect,” Maoto said.
They also raised frustrations over the issue of age requirement when applying for vacancies.
“There are several vacant posts in the Department but the required age is 35. How will the workers apply while some of them have already reached that age while working for the same Department that cannot absorb them now?
“We are really frustrated and the only way things will go to normal is if the officials listen to our demands.”
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The Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Organised Labour wrote a letter to the MEC of Health, Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko on March 30 requesting for an urgent meeting.
Another meeting was requested by the unions and readers will be updated on the outcome.
