By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Health Joe Phaahla says military healthcare workers would return to their base once stability was restored at distressed health facilities around the country.
Phaahla gave an update on the country’s healthcare facilities on Monday night, following industrial action by healthcare workers affiliated to National Education, Health, and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu).
Nehawu members went on strike last week over a wage dispute with government. The union wanted a 10% wage increase, but government was offering a 4.7% increase.
On Monday, the Labour Appeal Court interdicted the strike action by essential service workers, including employees in the health sector.
Phaahla said employees who failed to return to work on Tuesday would be in contempt of the court judgment.
He said, “there has been enough suffering, enough pain, enough frustration among ordinary South Africans. One would appeal to them to end this.”
Phaahla added, “the bargaining council is a legally available forum through which issues remaining to be discussed [can] be ventilated. We can allow South Africans to receive the life-saving treatments they require from public health service.
Phaahla said the Labour Appeal Court judgment supported the department’s view that essential service employees should be prohibited from participating in strike action that could lead to loss of life. He added that protesters could address their grievances through non-disruptive channels, including mediation and arbitration.
“In order to protect the rights of essential service workers, the law creates mechanisms for deadlock breaking through mediation, conciliation and arbitration,” he said.
The minister said the Labour Appeal Court ruling would stand even if Nehawu appealed it in the Constitutional Court.
“If there was to be an appeal in the Constitutional Court, this order by the appeals court will stand to be executed. That is our understanding. I would also hope Nehawu does not go that route,” he said.