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GroundUp reports that about 200 community health workers marched to the Western Cape Health Department in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) organised the protest and pointed out in a memorandum that the national health department had committed to integrating community health workers. “We note with great concern that our members in the Western Cape have not yet enjoyed even the smallest benefits they should be enjoying under the agreement,” the union claimed. Noting that NGOs paid health workers R2,400 per month, it said its members were made to suffer “unjustifiable, irresponsible and unfair treatment” from NGOs and non-profit companies “whose main interest is to milk more money out of government through our members’ sweat and literally their blood”. Omar Parker, Western Cape Nupsaw manager, said that because of pressure from the union, the Western Cape Health Department had finally agreed that the workers should be paid R3,500 from 1 April. “We demand back-pay … and a moratorium on retrenchments. We want community health workers to be recognised as public servants because they are the first line in the delivery of health care to poor people,” said Parker. Nupsaw provincial organiser Zama Sonjica warned: “If need be, we will put tools down.”
- Read the full original of Vincent Lali’s report on the march at GroundUp
- Read too, Cape Town community healthcare workers fear losing their jobs, at GroundUp
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page