Several government hospitals in the Sedibeng district were affected, including Johan Heyns Hospital, Sebokeng Hospital and Kopanong Hospital.

This comes after the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu)  rejected a 4.7% increase offer from the government. The union has since decided to down tools demanding a 10 to 12% increase despite the department of Public Service and Administration interdicting the strike.

Several hospitals saw health practitioners blockading hospital entrances with burning tires, rocks, and debris.

Speaking to Ster North, Gauteng Provincial Secretary Patrick Kehomile said the decision to go on a full-blown strike is the result of a failed government.

“We engaged with the department on wage increments and we reached a deadlock. The government wasn’t negotiating in good faith.

They [government] rather imposed a 3% non-pensionable increment on all public servants. Since our demands fall on deaf ears, and we not winning on the table, we then decided to down tools,” he said.

He said not only hospitals were closed due to the strike, but other institutions are also on shut down.

“We have closed all the DPD departments so that the government can call us and engage with us in good faith. We closed clinics, SARS offices, Home Affairs, and many others,” he added.

The SG said that should the government fail to come to the people, they will continue with the strike.

“We want the employer to come back to us and come up with a reasonable offer. Maybe we can reconsider. If the government doesn’t come back to the people, we are going to withdraw labour peacefully without intimidating anyone nor destroying infrastructure.”