News24 reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has defended a group of 45 Eastern Cape health workers who have notched up salaries totalling R67 million for the past two years while sitting at home.

They allegedly refused to work at other government hospitals after the provincial health department closed the Orsmond TB Hospital in 2021 because of dwindling patient admissions. While the DA has slammed the department, which has been tight-lipped about the situation, and accused it of failing to act against the employees, Nehawu defended them. According to Nehawu provincial secretary Mlu Ncapayi, the department decided to transfer the workers without any consultations with unions and employees. The union then obtained a court interdict to prevent the department from applying a no-work-no-pay rule and deducting staff salaries. Ncapayi claimed that in some cases, employees, who were for instance managers at the hospital, would lose their job titles if they agreed to be transferred to hospitals where senior positions were already filled. He commented as follows: "Our firm view is that all this is created by the poor leadership of the senior managers of the [Eastern Cape health department]. We have been complaining for some time that the senior managers at the helm of the department have no capacity to lead such a complex organisation." Apparently the department is working with Nehawu and other unions to resolve the matter.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malibongwe Dayimani at News24 (subscriber access only)

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