Trade union Nehawu at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg has denied reports that they’re on strike and that they plan to shut down services at the hospital.
This follows recent disruptive actions by disgruntled workers who belong to trade union Nehawu who were protesting over the non-payment of overtime and their performance bonuses.
They threw litter in the hospital and left medical waste scattered on the floor.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi condemned this action saying although their grievances are legitimate, endangering the lives of vulnerable patients is unacceptable.
Nehawu Gauteng deputy-secretary Gracia Rikhotso says their picket was taken over by criminals activities.
Rikhotso says there was lunchtime pickets for the past three weeks and those pickets were hijacked by criminal activities which led to the hospital being trashed.
“I cannot at this stage say our members were not part of that, neither can I confirm that our members were part of that. However we then subsequently met with our members because the hospital obtained a court interdict,” says Rikhotso.
