The UFS spokesperson, Lacea Loader, said the decision for students to temporarily not go to health facilities for academic purposes was taken on Monday 6 March 2023. 

She said this decision was made to ensure the safety of students as the current environment in the hospitals is not conducive to teaching. The clinical platforms in question are the likes of the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital, Universitas Academic Hospital, National District Hospital and Free State Psychiatric Hospital. Teaching and learning in the non-clinical platforms are continuing normally.

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Loader concluded that an academic catch-up plan is in place to ensure that the impact of the strike on students’ academics will be limited. “Together with the university’s Protection Services, the situation at the hospitals is monitored daily, as student safety remains paramount.”

The protest in question by Nehawu is their attempt to get the government to give in to their request for a higher salary increase than what is on the table. The Department of Public Service and Administration offered a 4.7% salary increase, while unions ask for 10% and 12%. After the department learned of the trade unions’ intention to take its demands to the street, they interdicted the protest from going on and the court granted the interdiction. 

Various hospitals within the province have been left in a damaged state due to the protests. The Department of Health has since communicated to the trade unions that they will apply the ‘no work, no pay’ principle to those who are participating in the protest.

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The Provincial Department of Health’s spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, has since communicated that they are seeing a decline in the strike. However, some of the health facilities are operating with less medical personnel than required. He is of the view that protestors' intimidation of medical personnel who want to render services is on the increase. 

“The Pelonomi Hospital seems to have a relative increase in health workers willing to render services, but intimidation is also on the rise, with strikers stalking the wards and service points in an attempt to remove those who are working. There’s a voice note that explicitly mobilises against nurses assisting in operation theatres. The public order police and internal security are present to protect those working and feeling vulnerable," he added.

OFM News