South African Government negotiators and public sector unions have resumed talks after a court intervention in increasingly violent disruptions and a claim by the Minister of Health that four people may have died because of a strike at public hospitals.
Many of the hospitals had been blockaded by workers belonging to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) who’d launched an indefinite strike.
Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, North West and Western Cape were the worst affected.
The Minister, Joe Phaahla had announced that Defence Force nurses were being drafted to some hospitals in an effort to alleviate the crisis.
General Secretary of Nehawu, Zola Sapetha confirmed the union was participating in new talks, facilitated by the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council, to try to break the deadlock.
This followed the Labour Appeal Court’s interdiction of any industrial action by Nehawu, its members and employees with immediate effect.
The court ruled that Nehawu’s members and all essential service employees were prevented from continuing with or participating in a strike, picketing or any other form of industrial action.
Meanwhile, officials of the South African Policing Union (SAPU) said union members would strike if salary demands were not met.
Acting Deputy General Secretary of SAPU, Peter Ntsime said his members, together with other unions, were pursuing a 10 per cent salary increase.
“SAPU is not interdicted, and we have served the employer with a notice to strike,” Mr Ntsime said.
“Employees employed under the terms of the Public Service Act are allowed to strike as they do not render essential services; even those who render essential services when they are off from work can join the picket line.”
Pretoria, 13 March 2023
