Strikers shut down hospitals, mortuaries
2010-08-19 11:15
Durban - Striking workers prevented their non-striking colleagues from entering hospitals and mortuaries in the greater Durban area while there were reports of intimidation at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.
Known as Bafana, the Durban group moved from one government institution to another to bring a “total shut-down” of government services.
“We have shut down St Aidan’s, RK Khan, Inkosi Albert Luthuli, Addington and King Edward hospitals,” said Bafana spokesperson Sivuyile Ntshoko, who is also the chairperson of the King Edward branch of the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu).
Nehawu is an affiliate of the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Cosatu and the Independent Labour Caucus (ILC) announced a nationwide strike on Tuesday after their members rejected the government's offer of a 7% salary increase and a R700 monthly housing allowance.
The unions want an 8.6% and a R1 000 housing allowance.
Cops monitoring strikers
At King Edward hospital, health care workers were protesting outside while monitored by police officers.
Ntshoko said his group had closed government mortuaries and would bring ambulance services to a standstill before the end of Thursday.
He also said they would deal with temporary staff during the strike.
Bafana Bafana’s attempt to remove non-striking workers at the eThekwini health district office failed because security guards would not open the gates.
Meanwhile, striking workers tried to stop an ambulance from leaving Charlotte Maxeke.
Strikers ‘very aggressive’
A Sapa reporter on the scene said protesters, wearing red union t-shirts, blocked the main entrance to the hospital and prevented cars from entering the premises by shouting and warning the drivers to leave.
A handful of policemen were on the scene, keeping an eye on the situation.
Petrus Pienaar, 53, who had come to the cardiology clinic, said he witnessed intimidation inside the building.
"The strikers went inside (the hospital building) and started threatening the people working... the strikers were very aggressive," Pienaar told Sapa.
Barry Botha, 69, who was turned away by hospital staff, said he saw striking workers blocking the exit earlier in the morning when an ambulance tried to leave the premise.
The vehicle eventually managed to get out.
Judy Coutinho, who often visits the hospital's paediatric unit with her sickly 11-month-old son, Fabio, said she saw nurses protesting outside, while a skeleton staff was struggling to run operations inside.
Coutinho said the paediatric unit had many patients, while only three nurses, who seemed to have been hired to help out during the strike, were working at the unit.
"Three nurses for the whole ward is just not enough," said Coutinho.
Hospital entrances blocked
Elsewhere in Gauteng, Natalspruit hospital reported two baby deaths on Wednesday.
Gauteng health spokesperson Mandla Sidu said he could not confirm a news report that five people had died at Tembisa hospital due to the strike.
Sidu said he had received reports of striking workers blocking the entrance to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria, while SABC radio reported that the same was happening at Helen Joseph hospital in Johannesburg.
"We know the unions threatened a total blockage," said Sidu.
"We yesterday (Wednesday) already spoke to CEOs to make sure they work closely with the police. Should the need arise, they will call in the police to remove people."
- SAPA
