EWN reports that emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in parts of the Eastern Cape have embarked on an unprotected strike.  

The provincial health department is trying to resolve the dispute and, in the interim, the department has roped in assistance from the private sector.  According to the department's Sizwe Kupelo, the strike is isolated to Butterworth, Alice and Keiskammahoek.  Kupelo said:  “The strike is over payment of additional hours.  The payments have been going through and have been effected for some.  It’s a lengthy process.  We need to verify whether a person worked certain hours before effecting a transaction.”

• This short report by Ilze-Marie Le Roux is at EWN

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