Since Monday, Nehawu members have been protesting at health facilities and departments across the country in demand of a 10% wage hike.
At some facilities staff were turned away, while the night shift workers were left stuck inside hospitals, with no movement of ambulances.
Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolozi said they had noted the interdict and their lawyer was studying it.
“We are continuing with our strike and we are continuing with the demonstrations and pickets across the country,” he said.
“We note that the department of health has gone to court for an interdict but we must also clarify one thing, the interdict is not interdicting us against the strike -it says it interdicts [us] from violence and as Nehawu we have not been violent. Our lawyers are studying the interdict and will advise on the way forward on the interdict, but the strike continues.
“Our members are out demonstrating in various workplaces across the country just like we have been picketing. They have made sure that they come out in numbers and they do withdraw their labour. Our members are more resolute because they are quite certain now that the government is using all avenues to frustrate their genuine demands and the momentum is growing by the day. The reports from provinces and regions are that the momentum is growing every day.”
Health minister Joe Phaahla and Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko are visiting health facilities affected by strikers, beginning with Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
Nehawu strike continues as its lawyers study department of health interdict
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) enters the fourth day of its indefinite national strike despite being interdicted from obstructing services.
On Wednesday evening, the Gauteng department of health obtained a court interdict at the Johannesburg labour court against Nehawu to stop its members from obstructing the provision of health services to patients.
The department said it had been left with no choice but to seek relief from the courts given “the dire impact of the strike on various facilities, where the lives of both patients and staff was under threat”.
Striking nurses ‘attacked’ ambulance transporting child in critical condition to KZN hospital
Since Monday, Nehawu members have been protesting at health facilities and departments across the country in demand of a 10% wage hike.
At some facilities staff were turned away, while the night shift workers were left stuck inside hospitals, with no movement of ambulances.
Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolozi said they had noted the interdict and their lawyer was studying it.
“We are continuing with our strike and we are continuing with the demonstrations and pickets across the country,” he said.
“We note that the department of health has gone to court for an interdict but we must also clarify one thing, the interdict is not interdicting us against the strike -it says it interdicts [us] from violence and as Nehawu we have not been violent. Our lawyers are studying the interdict and will advise on the way forward on the interdict, but the strike continues.
“Our members are out demonstrating in various workplaces across the country just like we have been picketing. They have made sure that they come out in numbers and they do withdraw their labour. Our members are more resolute because they are quite certain now that the government is using all avenues to frustrate their genuine demands and the momentum is growing by the day. The reports from provinces and regions are that the momentum is growing every day.”
Health minister Joe Phaahla and Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko are visiting health facilities affected by strikers, beginning with Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
Minister Joe Phaahla inspects hospitals as Nehawu strikers are interdicted from obstructing services
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Health facility entrances blocked, night shift workers stuck as Nehawu strike rolls on
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