This comes after the Labour Appeal Court of South Africa interdicted the strike action by members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) earlier this week.

"Although workers are back at Pelonomi, the department will keep a close eye as the hospital has been identified as a main centre where strike activities could heavily impact the health care services in the province," says Mondli Mvambi, provincial spokesperson for the department.

"At the Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein, the situation is also calm, with no protestors in sight, and services are running well. At the National District Hospital, the situation remains calm and operations are fully functional. The Medical Depot is able to receive stock from suppliers and dispense medicines to various health facilities. Order has also been restored at the Free State Psychiatric Complex with workers returning to work after the strike."

ALSO READ: Nehawu protests settling down, personnel nowhere to be seen

He says at the Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital in Qwaqwa, the department received information from the health facility that about 117 workers are seemingly still on strike in defiance of the court order.

"The department is keeping an eye to see if the situation returns to normal. At another facility in the same area, the Elizabeth Ross District Hospital, staff has been reported to be on duty and all units are functional.

"There have been no reports of any defiance at the Embekweni Hospital and the Matlakeng Clinic in Zastron, and the situation at both facilities is returning to normal.

"In Kroonstad, the department is keeping an eye on the Boitumelo Hospital as it seems the strikers have gathered at the gate of the hospital in an attempt to defy the order to return to work."

ALSO READ: ’Respect interdict, allow healthcare workers to save lives’

Mvambi said the department urged Nehawu members to respect the court interdict and allow health professionals to save lives.

The reason behind the strike is an attempt by trade unions to get the department to agree to a 10% salary increase, instead of the 4.7% offer that has been put on the table.

In other provinces, it has been reported that patients’ lives have been lost and an investigation will be launched to determine if the protestors can be held accountable. 

In the previous week, Dr Joe Phaahla, the Minister of Health, confirmed that preliminary figures show that four people are believed to have lost their lives "in a manner that could directly be attributed to the strike".

OFM News