Sunday Independent reports that academics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN’s) Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine are dissatisfied with being strong-armed into doing extra duties at public hospitals facing crisis situations.  

The academics also claimed that the process to enlist their services was not well planned and that they will not receive compensation for work done in the hospitals, which will be over and above their university duties.  Some academics will be required to work at the King Edward Hospital VIII as well as the King Dinuzulu hospital from December, where they will have to work in the outpatients and other departments.  They labelled their new work directive as “exploitation” because of the work load they will have to deal with.  And the academics complained that they were told to find new jobs if they were not satisfied.  The staff members involved commented that they previously offered their services for free at King Edward VIII Hospital, but were now feeling exploited by being forced to work for no pay.

• Read this report by Nabeelah Shaikh in full at Sunday Independent

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