The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union has given the Northern Cape Department of Health seven days in which to respond to its demand to improve health services in the Province, especially for the poor and working class.
THE NATIONAL Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has given the Northern Cape Department of Health seven days in which to respond to its demand to improve health services in the Province, especially for the poor and working class.
Union members marched to the Department of Health’s offices in Kimberley to hand over a memorandum to the MEC for Health last week.
Nehawu provincial secretary Moleme Moleme stated that the public health-care system in the Province was in a “dire state”.
“The corrupt-centric, crisis-ridden and unstable provincial Department of Health is unlikely to change its course as it is led by the same individuals who landed us on the brink of collapse,” said Moleme.
He condemned the cutting of the workforce, freezing of non-critical posts and non-payment of rural allowances and benefits to nurses and qualifying personnel.
“This has negatively impacted on the delivery of quality health-care services to the working class and the poor who rely on the public health-care system,” said Moleme.
“Even when the compensation of employees was increased for the period 2019/20 to 2025/26, there was an average annual growth of 3.7 percent and goods and services increased by 4.6 percent, no improvement was observed in the provision of quality health-care services. What is more shocking, is the growth of the compensation of employees budget from R3.5 billion in the 2023/24 financial year from R3.3 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. The increase of goods and services from R2.1 billion in the 2022/23 financial year to R2.2 billion in 2023/24 has also not helped the situation.”
Moleme pointed out that despite commitments to increase the employment of community health-care workers (CHWs) to 50,000 in the public service, CHWs were working in “appalling” conditions and had yet to be absorbed.
“While saving the lives of the people of the Province, they receive nothing in return. They are undervalued and unappreciated. CHWs in the Province must be appointed permanently on salary Level 3 with full employment benefits that are similar to government employees.”
He also highlighted the chronic shortage of staff at the Department of Health where staff were overworked and unable to provide health services to the public.
“We have reached a point where we can no longer tolerate the attitude of the Department of Health towards our members and the broader working-class communities who are given poor services by committed public servants who are expected to work under appalling conditions.
“Unfortunately, the government has left us no option other than to mobilise our mass power and start taking our battles to the streets. This is the only power that we have as workers.”
Moleme called for an investigation into the double payment for an acting head of department and head of department.
“The acting HOD must be removed and Dr Dion Theys must resume his responsibilities for the position that he is being paid for.”
