Trade union Nehawu and the Portfolio Committee on Health have condemned the manner in which the provincial government has handled the ongoing strike by Nehawu members in the North West.
The union’s members have been on strike for over a month at the social development and health departments.
The North West government says premier Supra Mahumapelo has appointed a three-member team of MECs to work with the MECs of the affected departments to resolve the strike which has affected services at some clinics.
Nehawu’s demands include the suspension of the Head of the Health Department, Thabo Lekalakala, who allegedly made a pre-payment of R30-million to the Gupta-linked company, MEDIOSA. They also demand performance bonuses, which they say haven’t been paid for years.
At the Social Development Department, employees are accusing the provincial head office of not abiding by safety standards.
They allege that there is corruption in the department relating to what they term financial mismanagement. Spokesperson for premier Supra Mahumapelo, Brian Setswambung, has confirmed the appointment of the task team.
“This team will work together with the two MEC’s responsible for the two departments, to make sure that there are meetings with Nehawu with the view to intervening and bringing about a lasting solution to the issues that are being raised by the union in those two departments. The rational is that intervention should bring a lasting solution. In this regard, Premier Mahumapelo has called on workers to return to work, whilst this intervention takes place.”
However, Nehawu says this is a total disregard of their grievances as they first heard about the provincial government’s decision through the media. Provincial secretary, Patrick Makhafane, says government has not even responded to their demands in the memorandum submitted late last month.
“You’ll recall that issues were raised through a memorandum. Issues were raised on the table of engagements with the employer, and therefore, the expectation is that if there’s a change in approach, or there’s an intervention from upper structure, such should be communicated properly and formally, to the relevant offices. And such communication has not come forward to us. We hear from you as media and social media.”
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health in the North West legislature, Madoda Sambatha, has also criticised the provincial government for the manner in which it has been handling the strike.
“You can’t start negotiations without replying to the memorandum because negotiations are meant to then close gap between you as an employer and the matters, in case your reply is not accepted by the matters. So, the situation of selecting three MEC’s is a government decision but that decision must then be coupled with the reply of the memorandum of the workers,” he said.
Nehawu says the management at both the Health and Social Development departments have failed to effectively resolve the stand-off. As the strike at the two departments continues, patients are being turned back at the clinics, and staff at medical stores are not reporting for duty.
