The National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has threatened to go on strike if security is not improved in health facilities around the country.
The threats from the union come after two armed men shot and killed a patient at Clairwood Hospital in Durban last Friday night.
The union says they have been raising the issue with the Department of Health to no avail, adding that their members are dreading going to work because of frequent attacks.
Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba says there is an absence of proper security systems in health facilities.
Xaba says, “As Nehawu we are disappointed with the level of safety in our clinics and other health institutions. We’ve had many instances where our members and patients have been attacked and our members now are dreading going to work because of the lack of safety in these institutions and we call on our government to immediately intervene in the issues of safety in these institutions, failure to do so, we will be left with no option but to withdraw our labour power.”
