NEHAWU members urged to get back to work

Acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi urged the striking members of Nehawu to return to work.

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DEPARTMENT ORDERED INTERDICT AGAINST STRIKE

On Saturday, the department obtained a court interdict against the planned Monday strike. The union applied to appeal the ruling on Sunday. The department argued that the strike would cause harm to the government and public services, which include health and education.

Nxesi says they will implement a no-work no-pay principle.

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“The principle of no work no pay is also non-negotiable, and any labour action must be conducted within the law, we will not allow essential services to go on strike as this is reckless and irresponsible.”

MEMBERS OF NEHAWU BLOCKED ENTRANCES TO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

The striking workers blocked entrances to several government buildings and health care facilities across the country.

National health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said they disrupted hospitals included Carletonville, Leratong, and Thelle Mogoerane in Gauteng. In North West, Tshepong, Witrand, and Moses Kotane hospitals were operating, and Khayelitsha Hospital in the Western Cape suffered the same fate.  

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In the Free State, three people were arrested for blocking the entrance to the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein. Nxesi says it is illegal to defy the court interdict, they can be prosecuted for defying the ruling of a court of law.

“The strike is interdicted, and we expect people to come back to work. We want to appeal to the union’s leadership not to engage in areas that may be costly to them. It is a request that the leadership should abide by the decision of the court,” he added.

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In a statement put out by the department, they said that the “Government respects the rights of trade unions to organise and the rights of members to embark on peaceful and lawful protests, including pickets and strikes.”

“It is the commitment of government to ensure that these hard fought for rights are discharged in a manner that does not disrupt service delivery, especially in relation to essential services such as health. Government believes that matters of mutual interest can still be resolved through orderly collective bargaining at the appropriate forum established for such purpose.”