Union vows to intensify North West health sector strike

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union’s strike in the North West health sector, which served as the catalyst for the past week’s violent protests in the province, is set to intensify.

Nehawu yesterday announced plans to ramp up its current strike, while Premier Supra Mahumapelo broke his silence, saying he would resign if called upon to do so by the ANC.

Nehawu yesterday branded Mahumapelo a dictator, with a tendency to rehire senior officials who were either fired or faced allegations of corruption.

Many in the province also questioned Mahumapelo’s offer to resign, saying he was trying to emulate his former boss, Jacob Zuma, who also offered to step down if called to do so by the ANC, but resisted. Zuma only decided to quit when he realised the party’s patience with him had run out – and was ready to push him out.

Nehawu leaders told media in Johannesburg yesterday that the crisis in the North West was due to Mahumapelo’s tendency to be a referee and a player, who meddled in the hiring and firing of officials in the province.

The union unveiled its plan to intensify the two-month long strike in the provincial health department. The strikers threatened to make the situation in the health centres even worse, if their demands were not met.

The strike, which started in February, has affected services at hospitals, clinics and health administrative services. It sparked last week’s protests in Mahikeng and Zeerust, after two patients died in a local clinic.

The protesters went on the rampage, burning and looting property, demanding service delivery and Mahumapelo’s resignation.

Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said Mahumapelo was the stumbling block to the rights of workers and to all attempts to fight corruption in the province.

“As Nehawu, we have written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene and use his power to remove the premier. But the president can’t do so without first getting the facts and that’s exactly what we want to do when we meet him,” Saphetha said.

He said among the union’s demands was an end to outsourcing of services, such as cleaning, security and catering; payment of all outstanding pay progressions by April 30; and an end to prejudice associated with performance bonus payment.

The union also demanded the filling of all funded vacant posts, salary adjustments for medical depot workers and absorption of community health workers. The striking workers also demanded an end to corruption, including the termination of corruptly issued contracts for companies like the Gupta-linked Mediosa.

“Our attempts to resolving the impasse have been met with sheer arrogance and disdain by the department of health,” Saphetha said.

Everything had to go past Mahumapelo and, therefore, it would be difficult the remove him.

“Supra is running the province but fortunately for us and all the North West people, he is not running the country. That’s why we have elevated our demands and the whole North West issue to the president,” Saphetha said.

Supported by his deputy, December Mavuso, Saphetha said Mahumapelo always stuck by officials tainted by claims of corruption.

The claim came amid accusations he allegedly, among others, irregularly appointed director-general Lydia Sebego and health official Dr Thabo Lekalakala.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

Also read:  Mahikeng shutdown continues amid mounting calls for Mahumapelo to resign

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