Doctors not happy with offer

2009-06-25 10:17

Doctors march over poor salaries. (Courtney Africa, Die Son).

Durban - Striking doctors in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday embarked on a campaign to cajole their counterparts in other parts of the country to join them.

The strike over pay and working conditions started in KwaZulu-Natal four days ago and had crippled public health institutions in urban areas such as Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Some doctors in other provinces had also joined the strike action.

Dr Shailendra Sham, one of the striking doctors, said he was in Cape Town on Thursday to mobilise other doctors to join the strike.

“I have just landed in Cape Town and other guys are in Gauteng to mobilise. We want to intensify the strike because we are not happy with the offer.”

Pay offer rejected

While the Congress of SA Trade Unions welcomed the pay offer announced by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Wednesday, the striking doctors in KwaZulu-Natal had rejected it and not returned to work.

“The strike continues because we are not happy with the offer,” said SA Registrars' Association president Lebogang Phahladira.

The new packages would cost the government more than R1bn and would be implemented from July 1, if accepted by the unions.

- SAPA