SPECIAL SECURITY measures will be introduced to deal with public sector workers who continue to disrupt essential service delivery as part of their efforts to secure a wage increase, South Africa’s state security minister said yesterday.
Minister Siyabonga Cwele made his announcement as the striking state employees continued to use violence, intimidation and disruption during the third day of what unions say is an indefinite nationwide strike by its 1.3 million members.
“Ministers agreed on a range of measures to be taken to ensure the safety of citizens and employees who are not part of the industrial action, as well as the growing number of volunteers who are stepping forward to deliver services,” Mr Cwele said at a press briefing in Pretoria.
Hospitals across the country appeared to have been hardest hit by the industrial action being employed by protesters who are trying to force government to meet their demands of an 8.6 percent wage increase and a monthly housing allowance of €106.
It has been widely reported that doctors and nurses have been forced to leave their hospital posts by protesters sweeping the wards. State employees are also blockading hospital entrances.
At Natalspruit hospital in Gauteng province, 53 newborn babies had to be moved to a private clinic because there was no one to feed them. The health department said it found two dead babies on Wednesday night at the hospital.
The country’s largest union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, called the strike last Tuesday after the state refused to increase its offer of a 7 per cent pay rise and a monthly housing allowance of €75. According to the government, that is the maximum it can afford.
The extraordinary measures to be introduced by government include setting up special courts to deal with “acts of hooliganism”, and securing an interdict against unions from accessing state departments and infrastructure.
By early evening yesterday, Gauteng provincial government was granted an interdict by the labour court to stop strikers from intimidating health workers and blocking hospital entrances.
“The court ordered government employees who are on strike to immediately refrain from intimidating, harassing or interfering with other employees and management from continuing with their work,” the office of premier Nomvula Mokonyane said.
Minister of health Aaron Motsoaledi said the actions of those who were stopping the provision of essential medical services amounted to committing murder.