Sunday Independent reports that about 500 community healthcare workers who are contractual employees of the Gauteng Department of Health (DoH) blocked Johannesburg city streets, demanding that the health MEC should address them and accept a memorandum of their demands.
Sibusiso Nkasa, Joburg regional chairperson of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw), which was leading the strike action, said: “We are resolute. As you can see all roads are closed. All gates have been barricaded, none can go in and no one can walk out.” Roads barricaded during the rowdy but largely peaceful protest were around the square block of Ntemi Piliso, Commissioner, Kort streets and Albertina Sisulu Road in the inner city. Indicating that workers wanted to be permanently employed by the Gauteng DoH, Nkasa added that Nupsaw had been in discussions with the department and had reached a resolution last year at the bargaining council to elevate community primary healthcare workers from contractual to permanent status. He accused the department of reneging on the agreement and not responding to their communication concerning their demands. He advised that the workers’ demands included a R3,500 a month stipend with “permanent status”; elevation to level-5 remuneration rate, which meant R12,000 a month; for the department to share its employee database details with Nupsaw; and for implementation of the June 2018 resolution reached with the department and finalisation of all matters by the end of June.
- Read the full original of Sipho Mabaso’s report on the protest at Sunday Independent
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page