The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng on Thursday called on Premier David Makhura to intervene in a crisis that has seen bodies pile up in mortuaries.
DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom said the strike was in its third week‚ despite commitments to resolve it.
He blamed Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa for mishandling the strike from the start by not getting a court order to stop it.
"Pathologists are doing the best they can with 10 military medics and 8 volunteers from the National Association of Funeral Directors assisting them‚ but the backlog is still about 200 bodies. Autopsies are taking more than 7 days instead of one day‚ to the great distress of families who have to delay funerals‚" Bloom said in a statement.
"Unions representing the workers are being unreasonable and cruel in continuing this illegal strike in an essential service."