BusinessLive reports that a strike by members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) continued to disrupt services at public hospitals on Tuesday, with reports of violence, intimidation and compromised patient care.

The union has embarked on an indefinite unprotected strike over wages, despite two court interdicts secured by the government. Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzihe denied that Nehawu members had intimidated patients or healthcare providers. His statement was at odds with media reports and provincial health department statements from Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Nehawu and the state reached a deadlock in wage negotiations after the state unilaterally implemented a 3% salary increase for 2022/2023 in October. The union is demanding 10%. Nehawu served the employer with a strike notice in February. The Department of Public Service & Administration successfully interdicted the strike from going ahead on Saturday. However, Nehawu lodged an appeal on Sunday and said the industrial action would go ahead as planned because the appeal suspended the interdict. On Monday, the department successfully approached the labour court for an order granting it leave to execute the court interdict. On Monday evening, Nehawu said it had launched an appeal at the Labour Appeal Court (LAC). “Having launched an appeal ... the national union will be forging ahead with the public service strike until a determination is made on our appeal at the LAC,” Nehawu indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane & Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive

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