Violent protest in Mookgophong gets out of hand P. 3
18 March
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2016
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Striking health workers demand
better working conditions
Striking health workers sang their slogans at the entrance of the hospital building. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Angry health workers at the Bela-Bela local hospital downed tools on Tuesday, 15 March, in protest against the hospital’s management. The workers met on Tuesday, 1 March, and drafted a memorandum of their grievances to hand over to management the following day. Believing that the hospital management was failing to attend to their grievances, the workers then engaged in a ‘go-slow’ from Tuesday, 8 March, as a means of forcing management to take them seriously and meet their demands. In the memorandum, the workers complained about staff shortages, the unsatisfactory Performance Management Development System evaluation process, overtime payments, the prioritization of
Nehawu Secretary Wilson Matlaisane addressed the workers after union executives met with management. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
outsourcing, and poor security, among other things. The workers say that the security issue has become even more problematic in recent weeks. On Sunday, 21 February, several members of the public entered the hospital premises in possession of weapons and fought inside the hospital. The combatants were allegedly members of the ANC who were meant to be attending the party’s Branch General Meetings, which broke down into general infighting which resulted in several serious injuries. Another complaint relates to managers who serve in different divisions at the same time, which they regard as corruption. The BEAT visited the hospital on Tuesday, 15, March and found the health workers in high spirits, singing slogans and dancing.
The shop stewards said they are not backing down from getting management to meet their demands. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
During the reporters’ visit they were waiting for their shop stewards, who were meeting with management to discuss possible ways forward through the situation. The executive consisted of representatives of various unions including Nehawu, Denosa, Hospersa, and the PSA, and were led by Wilson Matilaisane from Nehawu. Addressing the workers, Matlaisane said that they demand that management solve the problems within 24 hours. He urged the staff to stay true to their principles and not compromise their jobs by helping in other departments, which could result in serious implications for them. He gave an example for nurses: should a patient fall out of a wheelchair while being pushed by a nurse instead of a porter, the nurse would be in trouble and
may even lose their position. Matlaisane further said that the management said that they were bringing patients from Modimolle’s FH Odendaal Hospital and that the workers are demanding that management arrange extra staff and facilities to accommodate the additional patients. He said that they were unable to meet with all the managers they were planning to see, and accused them of ‘fleeing’. Spokesperson for the hospital Bhuti Moagi later said that he was away from the hospital at the time of the protest, and referred queries to CEO Brenda Nyama. In her response, Nyama said that she could not divulge information about their meeting with the union representatives, but agreed to meet with reporters after she had met with the management team again.