AFM News
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa says healthcare facilities across the country are becoming more dysfunctional as the strike by Nehawu members intensifies, and there has been no response from the government.
Denosa said patients in some institutions were not fed since 6 PM on Tuesday night, nor were they given medication.
Nehawu members downed tools on Monday after government unilaterally implemented a 3% wage increase while employees' long-standing demand is for a 10% pay hike.
Densa national spokesperson, Sibongiseni Delihlazo, said they have been inundated with complaints from their members of nurses being assaulted at different healthcare facilities countrywide.
He said they also received complaints of assault of nurses at Cecilia Makiwane and Frere Hospitals in East London.
"Many patients have not been fed since 6 pm last night in many facilities or have not been given their medication. Night shift staff can't go home because the gates are locked," he said.
"Corpses are pilling in hospital wards because there are no porters to take them to the mortuary,".
Delihlazo said patients due for emergency transfers were also stuck because ambulance drivers were not being allowed in or out of health facilities.
Denosa said these acts of intimidation are caused by the absence of a Minimum Service Level Agreement for essential workers which the government has been avoiding.
"Which will serve as a guide even to other workers to know that during a strike there should be a certain number of workers rendering services," Dlihlazo said.
Denosa says the government is to blame for the chaos happening around the country.
"The Department has been saying it is closely monitoring the situation, but there is nothing done to protect those caring for the patients."
The labour union has appealed to protesting members to not harm the nurses who are caring for patients.
Meanwhile, an ambulance transporting a child in critical condition to Stanger Hospital came under attack from striking health workers on Wednesday.
Kwazulu Natal ambulance, IPSS Mecial Rescue Service, said a group of protesters tried to forcibly remove the child from the ambulance at the entrance to the facility.
Spokesperson, Samantha Meyrick, said one of the crew members was also assaulted, but didn't sustain any serious injuries.
Meyrick said the child was taken safely into the hospital but ambulance staff could not exit the facility for over an hour.
Nehawu's KZN spokesperson Ayanda Zulu has denied that striking healthcare workers were intimidating or threatening patients and employees.
While he was not aware of the Stanger incident, he maintained that the strike action has been peaceful.
