Hospital workers embark on protest action

DENNILTON – Members of the Philadelphia Organized Labour embarked on a protest at the hospital in Dennilton outside Groblersdal within the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality on Wednesday.

Some of the grievances put forward by the organization were that the hospital’s CEO was unavailable and incompetent, the untidiness of the hospital’s environment, shortage of staff and that of drugs and medicines.

They further lambasted the collapse of monthly meetings, incomplete projects, and exploitation of staff, shifted COVID-19 vaccine without consultation, intimidation of organized labour with suspension letters and lack of transparency on tender projects.

The members complained that the hospital’s management was not willing to engage them on the issues so that they could find an amicable solution.

Phenias Monama, Philadelphia Organized Labour Chairperson, said they had challenges submitting their memorandum of grievances because none from the hospital’s management was will to attend to them.

Monama said they were frustrated because they have been engaging with the police as mediators and were told that managers at districts and the province were committed.

Seun Mogotji, a community leader, said they sympathized with the workers on the issues they were raising.

Mogotji said the problem was when the workers infringed on the rights of the members of the public to access the hospital and public health care services through deliberately blocking the entrances.

“Some nurses who were prepared to work and assist the public were threatened and forced to join the protest. Some of the hospital’s wards were closed down with patients left stranded inside.

We call upon Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, to speedily address the issue and see to it that lives of people are not put in jeopardy by the striking workers.

The SAPS must also lend a hand in ensuring the safety of everyone involved, especially the patients inside the wards those members of the public needing access to the hospital,” concluded Mogotji.