Protest action takes place at Helen Joseph Hospital
Members of the union burnt tyres and chanted songs in an effort to make sure their voices and concerns were heard.
National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members were at Helen Joseph Hospital’s doorstep on March 9 in protest.
This protest, was brought on by union members demanding a 10% wage increase.
While at the hospital, protesters burnt tyres they had placed across the main entrance and chanted various songs.
One of the protesters, Tebogo Monyela, a shop steward for National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers at the hospital, said the entity participated in the protest in support of Nehawu and to demonstrate their shared frustration towards government’s lack of respect towards workers.
“In terms of salary, workers want a 10% increase, but government is saying workers will only get 3%.
“Workers also want 2.5% housing allowance as well bursaries for their children,” Monyela said.
He said that during the protest no one was denied access to the hospital.
“People always had access. There are various other entrance gates to the hospital.”
He emphasised that protesters wanted their voices heard.
“The cost of living is too high. They cannot give us only 3% – we need to sustain our families.
“People want to go back to work. If they can give us what we are entitled to, then we can return to work. That is what we want – to work.”
According to its website, Nehawu remains resolute that nothing will deter them from ‘the noble worthy cause that they have embarked on, which is fighting for public servants, defending collective bargaining and rights of workers.’
Brixton Police Station officers were present to monitor activities and ensure the strike was peaceful.
“We are here to check that patients to and from the hospital are not being intimidated and that they are safe when they enter and exit the hospital,” said the station’s spokesperson Jeanette Backhoff.
A media inquiry was sent to Helen Joseph Hospital on March 9 at 13:00 questioning the impact of the strike on patient care and hospital staff who were not part of the strike.
Northcliff Melvile Times also questioned whether:
1) specific hospital wards and/or health care departments had been affected
2) measures were put in place to safeguard patients and staff
3) complaints from patients or families had been received.
Comment was requested by 14:00.
At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
The Gauteng Department of Health obtained a court interdict at the Johannesburg Labour Court against Nehawu to stop its members from obstructing the rendering of health services to patients.
The department did not list Helen Joseph Hospital as one of the hospitals that experienced a ‘dire impact on facilities due to the strike’.
“Some hospitals experienced total shut down as was the case at Kopanong, Sebokeng, Thelle Mogoerane and Bheki Mlangeni where patients were left unattended as striking workers went inside wards ordering staff out of the facilities. Academic hospitals, Charlotte Maxeke and Chris Hani Baragwanath, were also negatively impacted,” said the department’s head of communication Motalatale Modiba.
The interdict will remain in effect, pending the court return date of April 20.
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