Community health workers demonstrated outside the Department of Employment and Labour offices in Kimberley, as well as the Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington, to disrupt public hearings that were being held to investigate their basic conditions of employment and wages in the public sector.
COMMUNITY health workers (CHWs) demonstrated outside the Department of Employment and Labour offices in Kimberley, as well as the Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington, this week to disrupt public hearings that were held to investigate their basic conditions of employment and wages in the public sector.
The provincial organiser of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw), Thapelo Thole, said they were objecting to the implementation of prescribed minimum wages and basic working conditions for CHWs.
“The department intends to remove CHWs from the sectoral determination and place them back under non-governmental organisations, which means they will be in a less favourable financial position. This is expected to take place in 2025 after the national government elections,” said Thole.
Nupsaw provincial organiser Andrew Diraditsele believed that they had been “sold out”.
“We will go and demonstrate outside the offices of the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, next. Our CHWs are suffering and are struggling to make a living,” said Diraditsele.
CHWs stated that they were earning stipends of R4 100 per month and were unable to support their children and dependants and pay their bills.
“We are given letters without notice instructing us to retire at the age of 60 years without any benefits. We are not entitled to unemployment, pension, bonuses or medical aid.”
They stated that they had to purchase their own uniforms and personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.
Many said that they had contracted TB and Covid-19 while caring for patients and their welfare was not secured.
“We are doing the work of nurses and are caring for the vulnerable and ill while our needs are not taken into account. Many of us are single parents or are grandmothers taking care of children, where we cannot send them to university.”
Patients have meanwhile bemoaned the water shortages at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley where no surgeries can be performed.
“We are pleading with the MEC for Health to remedy this problem as it has serious ramifications,” they said.
“For days on end the water crisis has persisted at this health facility. It is really disgusting, disgraceful and disrespectful towards all the patients who must now suffer.”
Northern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Lulu Mxekezo acknowledged the infrastructure challenges at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
“A service provider has been appointed and is on-site to update the infrastructure. We regret the unavailability of water in some areas while they are updating the system, but it is necessary to fix the challenges.”
She added that plans were on track to finalise the job upgrades to the water pipes at the hospital this weekend to ensure that a water supply was available for both patients and personnel.
Mxekezo confirmed that the CHWs picketed outside the Department of Labour in Kimberley on July 18 and at the Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington on July 19.
“The picketing action was contained. The action arises from miscommunication by Nupsaw that incorrectly informed the CHWs that the current process undertaken by the Department of Labour to inform the ministerial determination on conditions of service of the CHWs are intended to terminate their contracts in 2024.”
She explained that the Department of Labour’s investigations were supported by a government gazette 47758 dated December 28, 2022.
“The issues are currently being discussed at the collective bargaining council between the national Department of Health and organised labour.”
