Cape Town - A nationwide strike by National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) at health facilities has spilled over to other services in the Western Cape.
Near Town Two Community Day Centre, the smell of acrid smoke lingered and a charred line could be seen on Jeff Masemola Road, formerly Lansdowne Road, in Khayelitsha yesterday.
Mayco member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross confirmed that an incident occurred at 1pm on Tuesday but this did not cause disruptions to services, damage to the property, or injuries to staff.
On Wednesday morning, Nehawu members were present at Khayelitsha District Hospital while more than seven police and law enforcement vehicles, including a nyala, were stationed both inside and outside the facility.
The previous night, Nehawu members prevented night staff from entering the hospital.
Abulele Dyasi, the Provincial Health and Wellness Department spokesperson in the Khayelitsha Eastern Substructure, said that on Monday the strike was peaceful with no violence or disruption to services.
On Tuesday, the strike disrupted services at Michael Mapongwana Clinic and Khayelitsha District Hospital, resulting in a temporary suspension of services.
On Tuesday night, protesters disrupted services and blocked staff from entering Khayelitsha District Hospital until 11pm.
The strike continued at Michael Mapongwana Clinic and Khayelitsha District Hospital yesterday; critical patients were transferred to facilities such as Helderberg, Tygerberg, Mitchells Plain and Karl Bremer Hospitals.
Nehawu member Lerato Majola said patients were not being prevented from entering health facilities, only staff.
Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said provincial health departments have applied for court orders or interdicts to prevent the further disruption of services and intimidation of staff.
“The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) is leading negotiations on behalf of the public services,” Mohale said.
Nehawu said it has appealed an execution order by the DPSA delivered by the Labour Court on Monday, claiming that this protected its strike.
Nehawu provincial secretary Baxolise Mali said demands made in the 2022/2023 bargaining cycle included a 10% salary increase, filling vacant posts, absorption of community health workers, an end to outsourcing, and a R2 500 housing allowance.
“The reason for the continued strike is that the employer decided to unilaterally implement 3% though there was no agreement and although they knew already there was a dispute which remained unresolved while equally they didn’t entertain any of the other demands.”
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) appealed to those striking not to harm nurses as it reported complaints of assault of nurses at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Khayelitsha Hospital, Frere Hospital, Leratong Hospital, Thelle Mogoerane, Bheki Mlangeni, and Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Ladysmith Hospital, Albert Luthuli Hospital, among others.
“Many patients have not been fed since 6pm on Tuesday in many facilities or have not been given their medication. Night shift staff can’t go home because the gates are locked.
“Corpses are piling up in the wards because there is no staff like porters to take them to the mortuary. Patients who are due for emergency transfers are stuck because ambulance drivers can’t be allowed in or out of facilities,” Denosa said in a statement.