Cosatu speaks out against violence, calls for discipline and lawful strike action by Nehawu

Nehawu members protest outside George Tabor Technical College on March 08, 2023 in Soweto, South Africa. The health workersí union are demanding a 10% salary hike and the strike is taking place at several hospitals around Johannesburg. (Photo by Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi)

By Victoria O’Regan

8 Mar 2023

Trade union federation Cosatu condemned reports of violence and appealed for peace and lawful protest action, as the wage strike of the Cosatu-affiliated National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union entered its third day.

The trade union federation, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), on Wednesday called on striking public service workers to conduct their strike in a “peaceful, disciplined and lawful manner”, following two days of violent and disruptive actions at health facilities.

Nehawu is affiliated to Cosatu, the country’s largest trade union federation and a tripartite alliance partner of the ruling ANC.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Let’s be clear: The hospital strike must be called off now”

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Monday 6 March embarked on an indefinite strike to protest against the wages and conditions of public health sector workers.

The union has rejected the government’s 4.7% wage increase for the 2023/24 financial year, demanding a 10% pay hike.

Patients had to walk a distance due to the road being closed at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital on March 08, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The health workersí union are demanding a 10% salary hike and the strike is taking place at several hospitals around Johannesburg. (Photo by Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi)

The protests are ongoing despite the Labour Court ordering on Tuesday morning that an interdict stopping the violent strike be implemented immediately. Nehawu had applied for leave to appeal against this order.

The Nehawu strike action has paralysed South Africa’s health facilities, with increasing reports of intimidation and violence at health facilities, as health workers were barred from helping patients or entering hospitals, surgeries were cancelled, and ambulances were unable to respond to emergency calls.

It was reported that numerous hospitals in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Free State, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal were affected, including Chris Hani Baragwanath, Leratong and Tembisa hospitals, all in Gauteng. Pelonomi and Manapo Hospitals in the Free State, Khayelitsha Hospital in the Western Cape, and Tshepong and Moses Kotane hospitals in North West were also affected, along with Kimberly and Upington hospitals in the Northern Cape.

Visit Daily Maverick's home page for more news, analysis and investigations

Read more in Daily Maverick:

“Wage strike hammers health services across the country”

“Nehawu strike continues despite second interdict, leaving health facilities reeling”

“Nehawu strike continues to hit hard with widespread reports of deaths and suffering”

In a statement on Wednesday, Cosatu condemned the “disturbing reports of violent incidents and destruction of property by the striking public service workers.

“While we fully support the striking workers and believe that their fight is a legitimate one, we regret the disruption to public services which the strike has caused and any violent incidents or damage to property,” Cosatu national spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla said in the statement.

“We urge members and workers to remember that a strike is an act in defence of working-class interests, and it must not result in working-class communities who use these public facilities becoming the unintended casualties of it.”

We urge members and workers to remember that a strike is an act in defence of working-class interests, and it must not result in working-class communities who use these public facilities becoming the unintended casualties of it. #PublicServiceStrike

— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) March 8, 2023

While Cosatu said it did not condone acts of violence by anyone, it seemed to shift the responsibility to law enforcement and management to “avoid provocative actions that antagonise workers.

“We also do not accept that all unfortunate incidents can be blamed on striking workers.”

The trade union federation urged employers to meet unions at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC), to find an amicable solution.

The PSCBC – having noted the disruptions at health facilities – on Wednesday, 8 March called on the collective trade unions and the government to return to the PSCBC to engage in a facilitated process to resolve the issues.

The facilitation is proposed to take place on Thursday, 9 March.

The National Department of Health on Monday condemned the violent and disruptive actions at health facilities, but has maintained that it is too early to call in the army, Daily Maverick’s Estelle Ellis reported.

“The department respects the right to strike by members of the trade unions as enshrined in the Constitution of the country. However, such rights should not violate the constitutional rights of others to life and access to healthcare,” it said in a statement. DM

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