Rob Ferreira Hospital workers vow to continue protesting if MEC Sasekani Manzini does not step in
The workers vowed to prevent access to the hospital if their demands were not met by Monday.
MBOMBELA – Rob Ferreira Hospital auxillary workers staged a sit-in in the hospital’s boardroom this morning. According to Sidwell Mavuso, who represents the striking workers, hospital management and the CEO refused to meet with the workers to discuss their demands.
The striking NEHAWU-aligned workers have vowed to bar anyone from entering or leaving the hospital on Monday if management does not accede to their demands for personal protective equipment and the tools required to fulfil their duties.
“We have met with management in the past to discuss this and empty promises were made. We were even measured for uniforms and our sizes taken for safety boots.
“Since 2016 we have not received any uniform or tools, which makes doing our work a health hazard.”
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The protesting workers said that the hospital CEO, Fridah Nyathi, was not available and did not meet with them today. They have vowed to continue striking and said that if their demands were not met by Monday, no-one would be granted access to the hospital.
Another concern highlighted by Mavuso is that there is currently no laundry facility at the hospital.
“Management have informed us that the laundry issue is being dealt with by the Mpumalanga Department of Health. At the moment our laundry is being done at Themba, Bethal, Barberton and Bushbuckridge Hospitals.”
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He said that promises made about the issuing of uniforms have not materialised, adding that the hospital was nearing its financial year end and these promises have still not been kept.
The protesters are demanding that Mpumalanga MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini, step in to resolve the impasse between management in order to create a safer work environment.
