Daily News reports that striking staff from the Fort Napier Medico-Legal Mortuary in Pietermaritzburg could be arrested if they do not return to work on Wednesday.  

The Department of Health in KZN has given them that ultimatum or face arrest for up to 30 days for contempt of court.  This came after numerous attempts to persuade the workers to abandon the go-slow that they had embarked upon two weeks ago failed.  Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, provincial MEC for health, said the department first issued an ultimatum, which was followed by an interim order granted by the court to try and interdict the workers from participating in an illegal strike.  He explained that on Tuesday the court pronounced on two applications, firstly, granting the final order to interdict workers from embarking on a wildcat strike and secondly, granting an order for the workers being in contempt of court.  However, the union representing the worker, Nehawu, pleaded for the immediate suspension of the implementation of the court order and committed that workers would abide by the order from Wednesday.  The department then afforded the workers “this very last opportunity, to go back to work.”

• Read the full original report by Zainul Dawood at Daily News

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