The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) is forging ahead with what it calls a national day of action on 16 May 2018.
Khaya Xaba who is NEHAWU’s Spokesperson told Political Analysis South Africa on Thursday, 10 May 2018 that the union would be mobilising its members from across the country to stand in solidarity with striking members in the North West.
“We are mobilising all our provinces so we are expecting about 10 000 people…because it’s not only North West we are receiving other provinces as well,” he said.
“Our issues remember, relate to our working conditions of our members in the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development,” he added.
Xaba said that the union has also been working closely with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) to resolve medication shortages for patients living with HIV/AIDS.
“At the medicine depot, medicine cannot be dispensed and this has hard hit those who are on chronic medication especially those ones with HIV/AIDS,” he said.
“Even before the strike there was no HIV/AIDS medication because the money that was budgeted for these medications was submitted for something else,” he said.
Union members are demanding that their bonuses of 5% across the board, be paid, and they are also demanding better working conditions.
North West Workers downed tools in February this year and are demanding that the head of the Department of Health in the province, Dr Thabo Lekalakala be axed.
Due to the protracted strike the national government has had to bring in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to help reduce some of the backlog caused by the protest action in the province.
Last month, the provincial health department was placed under administration.