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Services at some healthcare facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay have been affected after workers embarked on an unprotected strike.
The Eastern Cape Health Department says the illegal strike started at the Motherwell Community Health Centre where workers are complaining about staff shortages.
Spokesperson, Mkhululi Ndamase says they have committed to addressing the issue.
He says in the interim, eight agency staff were brought in to supplement the Motherwell center until permanent staff commences with duty.
"We condemn with the contempt it deserves the intimidating of non-striking workers and agency nurses. As such, internal disciplinary processes will be implemented, which include the implementation of the no work, no pay principle and possible dismissal of those who have embarked on an illegal strike", Ndamase said.
The Head of the Department, Dr. Rolene Wagner met with union leaders, councilors, and community leaders in Motherwell on Friday, but the meeting deadlocked.
She explained to the workers that more than R700-million had been budgeted in the annual recruitment plan for the current financial year for more than 2,700 vacancies.
Wagner assured the meeting that it would be done within the available budget, as the Department had serious budgetary constraints.
The second reason the meeting deadlocked was the workers’ demand to reinstate all COVID-19 contract workers whose contracts came to an end at the end of December 2021 and the end of March 2022.
