Durban - The department of Health in the Gauteng province has acknowledged receiving a memorandum of demands on Wednesday from labour unions representing health care workers.
The Health department’s head of communications, Motalatale Modiba, told IOL that they are working towards resolving the many issues raised by the unions in the MOU.
The MOU was handed to officials from the health department outside the office of the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, in Braamfontein.
“The Gauteng Department of Health’s head of department, Dr Nomonde Nolutshungu, assured the unions that the government is aware of the many issues that the workers raised and will respond within the given time frame on a way forward.
“She reiterated that the provincial government remains committed to work with multilateral structures to address the challenges raised,” Modiba said.
Healthcare workers have arrived at the Premier's office at Newtown to deliver the memorandum @HealthZA @COVID_19_ZA @GovernmentZA @DENOSAORG @Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/HBQEMcMnpp
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) July 20, 2022
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa), Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the Communications Workers Union took part in the protest on Wednesday.
Denosa Gauteng provincial chairperson Simphiwe Gada said that they gave the department ten days to respond to the demands. The department told them that it would respond in less than ten days.
Dozens were seen protesting against the state of affairs at public hospitals, which health care staff have to endure outside the Cosatu house.
Among the demands made in the MOU was the payment of post-community service nurses and community nurses who are currently employed.
Gada said that they wanted more investment in nursing education for staff.
He said the recent pandemic had put a lot of pressure on staff members to go outside their usual job descriptions, warranting the need for professional development.
Deonsa also wanted vacant posts to be filled to avoid staff shortages.
Nurses in South Africa are fatigued, overworked and underpaid by the employer @HealthZA @COVID_19_ZA @GautengHealth @MpuHealth1 and demand #decentwages says @DENOSAORG @WHO @NxesiThulas @deptoflabour @pscbcnews pic.twitter.com/z7cZ2zpVyz
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) July 20, 2022
“The conduct of the Gauteng Department of Health seems to be ignoring these warnings in that you continue not investing in nursing jobs by retrenching for the past four to five years nurses that you have produced using public funds. Our interventions have assisted you from making these fatal mistakes which could result in a disaster for the healthcare system in this province and for the citizens of Gauteng.
“The disruptions in nursing education and the low intake of nursing students are leading to a disaster in dealing with the issue of nurse shortages, in particular specialist nurses.
“The continued challenges in education pose a challenge and are impacting supply and development of the nursing workforce,” the Denosa memorandum said.
IOL