KZN health staff returning to work

2010-08-23 17:25

Durban - KwaZulu-Natal health department employees were slowly returning to work on Monday, the department said.

"The situation is still the same with people picketing outside hospitals, but workers are slowly returning to work," KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo's spokesperson Chris Maxon said.

It was however difficult to indicate how many people had returned. The department had sent all critically ill patients to private hospitals.

Maxon could not say how much the private hospital bills would come to.

"We will only know at the end of the strike how much was spent on private hospital fees and how many health department employees went on strike."

The Congress of SA Trade Unions and the Independent Labour Caucus announced a nationwide strike six days ago, after rejecting the government's offer of a 7% salary increase and a R700 a month housing allowance.

They want an 8.6% increase and R1 000 housing allowance.

- SAPA