Nurses at St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki marched to the police station yesterday demanding the release of their colleagues.
Five union leaders employed at the hospital were arrested yesterday for contempt of court after hospital CEO Mzingisi Tshaka was granted an interdict preventing workers from gathering at the facility.
However, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) held a meeting at the hospital on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s arrest was the culmination of an ongoing battle between the union and Tshaka, whom Nehawu has accused of being anti-worker.
Nehawu chair Nkosinathi Mkhumbuzi said Tshaka refused to recognise the union at the hospital. In turn the union is demanding Tshaka is axed.
“He is treating the whole facility like his own farm. We want him to go,” Mkhumbuzi said.
He said when Tshaka took over the hospital in November 2016 he had said the nurses’ home would be done away with. The homes were revived after a nurse was killed on her way home a few years ago.
“He said he was cutting costs.
“He does not care about service delivery at the hospital,” Mkhumbuzi said.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the union had raised its grievances with the CEO, which had prompted a formal investigation by the department.
“That investigation is being finalised and will be tabled before the parties concerned in due course,” he said.
Kupelo said hospital CEOs were part of the department’s management team and were bound by the provincial policy that recognises labour as a social partner.
“We understand there have been issues raised by the union at the hospital.
“The province has played an active role to facilitate understanding between labour and management,” he said.
“The superintendent-general has made commitments to come to the hospital to address both parties.
“He has appealed for stability and normalisation of the situation to ensure that patients are safe and their health needs are met.
“The management is trying to assist with clinical duties together with a skeleton staff,” he added.
Kupelo said the department had a good relationship with the union, “and we believe the matter will be resolved soon”. — sinom@dispatch.co.za
Hospital CEO locks horns with Nehawu
Five union leaders employed at the hospital were arrested yesterday for contempt of court after hospital CEO Mzingisi Tshaka was granted an interdict preventing workers from gathering at the facility.
However, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) held a meeting at the hospital on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s arrest was the culmination of an ongoing battle between the union and Tshaka, whom Nehawu has accused of being anti-worker.
Nehawu chair Nkosinathi Mkhumbuzi said Tshaka refused to recognise the union at the hospital. In turn the union is demanding Tshaka is axed.
“He is treating the whole facility like his own farm. We want him to go,” Mkhumbuzi said.
He said when Tshaka took over the hospital in November 2016 he had said the nurses’ home would be done away with. The homes were revived after a nurse was killed on her way home a few years ago.
“He said he was cutting costs.
“He does not care about service delivery at the hospital,” Mkhumbuzi said.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the union had raised its grievances with the CEO, which had prompted a formal investigation by the department.
“That investigation is being finalised and will be tabled before the parties concerned in due course,” he said.
Kupelo said hospital CEOs were part of the department’s management team and were bound by the provincial policy that recognises labour as a social partner.
“We understand there have been issues raised by the union at the hospital.
“The province has played an active role to facilitate understanding between labour and management,” he said.
“The superintendent-general has made commitments to come to the hospital to address both parties.
“He has appealed for stability and normalisation of the situation to ensure that patients are safe and their health needs are met.
“The management is trying to assist with clinical duties together with a skeleton staff,” he added.
Kupelo said the department had a good relationship with the union, “and we believe the matter will be resolved soon”. — sinom@dispatch.co.za
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