Nehawu ‘willing to accept consequences’ for healthcare pickets

The union will hold a series of protests and pickets, starting on Friday, outside the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) to highlight the plight of health workers

The union briefed the media on its plans in Braamfontein on Thursday.

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The union's secretary-general Zola Saphetha warned that strike action could follow next month.

Saphetha said the union decided to go ahead with the pickets after the collapse of talks with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

"It was to give the department an opportunity to respond to the fact-finding report with the view to fix the shortcomings covered in the report.

"However, unfortunately, there were contradictions between on accuracies of reports between us and departments which led to the collapse of the meeting without proper engagement.”

Saphetha said the union is willing to put up a fight to ensure frontline workers are treated properly.

"We are dying now, we are burying our members on a daily basis. It is up to us whether to watch members die or do something at least to protect them.

"Our actions must be understood as an instrument and campaign to protect frontline workers from dying.

"And we are prepared for any consequence. In any event, in any struggle, there are casualties who are prepared to lose lives in defence. So, there will be no amount of consequence then what we are going through now. There is nothing that is going to deter us now.”