South Africa: Public sector staff protest, demand wage enhance

South Africa’s largest public sector staff union continued to protest exterior numerous hospitals throughout the nation on Monday. The protest, together with union members in well being and training, has run into its second week, with heavy legislation enforcement on show to observe the rallies.

The Nationwide Schooling, Well being and Allied Employees’ Union is demanding a ten% wage enhance, whereas the federal government has supplied 4.7%. Protesters have vowed to accentuate their motion till their calls for are met.

Members of the South African Defence Drive had been additionally deployed to the Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital in Vasloorus to the east of Johannesburg.

In response to the navy, medical personnel had been deployed to a number of public hospitals to mitigate the results of a strike that the federal government says has triggered a number of deaths.

“We’ve acquired a request from the minister of well being to help within the face of the continuing strike and to make sure that providers function with minimal disruption,” Phillip Makopo, spokesman for the South African military well being service, informed AFP.

“Army well being practitioners had been deployed to hospitals on Wednesday” final week and “will stay there as required,” he stated.

South African Well being Minister Joe Phaahla stated at the least 4 sufferers had died and that their deaths “could be immediately attributed to the strike.”

Final week, strikers blocked entry to varied hospitals, stopping sufferers from attending to them.

Joe Phaahla stated that the navy was additionally serving to to safe entry to the hospitals.

On Monday morning, AFP reporters noticed 4 troopers positioned close to the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in southeast Johannesburg, whereas cops patrolled the doorway.

The strike affecting a number of public hospitals started per week in the past with a piece stoppage by nursing and upkeep workers demanding a ten% pay rise, whereas the federal government has solely agreed to a 4.7% enhance.

On Monday, the courts ordered a halt to the motion, however the strikers proceed to watch the strike.