Eastern Cape premier to meet with Covid-19 nurses as government ponders their future

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane is set to meet with protesting Covid-19 nurses who will be left jobless when their contracts come to an end later this month.

A large group of the affected nurses protested in Bhisho on Wednesday in an attempt to convince the authorities to offer them permanent employment. They had hoped Mabuyane could broker a deal in their talks with the powers that be.

Mabuyane's spokesperson, Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha,  said the provincial health department used a grant to employ the nurses and was not “in a financial position to carry this financial responsibility”.

“The provincial government has been assisting the Department of Health to meet some of its financial responsibilities,” said Sicwetsha, adding that Mabuyane and the new health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth would meet with the nurses soon.

“Critical to this matter is that the provincial government is applying its mind on this matter given the fact that we still have Covid-19 in the province. Any consideration will be done within this context clearly defined in the recruitment policies of government.”

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