More state doctors across the province of KwaZulu-Natal defied a court order to return to work. Dr Shailendra Sham, a spokesman for the striking doctors said doctors would continue on strike until their demands have been met despite the Labour Court’s ruling in favour of the Department of Health. Sham said doctors had been angered by the department’s move to suspend some doctors that took part in the strike. “We have been told that six doctors have been suspended and some have been receiving phone calls from the administration office,” she said.
According to media reports close to 100 doctors were served with dismissal letters on Monday by the KwaZulu-Natal health department. They were dismissed after they defied a Durban Labour Court interim interdict compelling health care professionals to return to their posts.
Outlining the various packages still being negotiated at the Public Service Bargaining Council, Motsoaledi last week told a press conference the government did not have enough money to increase doctors’ salaries by 50% across the board — which is what the union had demanded.
The new packages would cost the government more than R1bn and would be implemented as of July 1. The offer has however since been turned down.
Democratic Alliance health spokesman John Steenhuisen condemned the dismissal of doctors as “sheer lunacy”.
He said taking such a decision would have serious implications as they would be difficult to replace. Steenhuisen said the strike had been “a long time coming” and called the government’s latest offer to doctors “unsatisfactory”.
Source: AHU – David A-O