Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is open for business again following Monday's strike that saw a barrier of armed police officers surrounding the entrance.
Many patients were turned away as services were slowed down on Monday due to the disruptions. Union members had marched to the hospital to demand the release of a health department report on an investigation into fraud and corruption at the hospital.
Tempers flared because unions waited for three weeks for the findings.
Director of communications at the Gauteng Health department, Lesemang Matuka, on Tuesday morning confirmed that the strike was over and that the hospital’s acting chief executive, who was identified by the unions and workers in the fraud and corruption accusations, was still on special leave.
“Dr Sifiso Maseko is still on special leave and the department is going to appoint someone who will hold the fort. No other staff members will be moved until the investigation is completed,” Matuka said.
Unions including the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union, the Democratic Nurses Organisation of South Africa, the Public Servants Association, the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South, the Network of Professional Social workers and the National Union of Public Services and Allied Workers called for Maseko’s removal.
The hospital, Africa’s largest, saw striking workers join the march, despite warnings by the health department’s head, Professor Mhkululi Lukhele, on Sunday.
“The department reserves the right to initiate disciplinary steps against any of the employees who conduct themselves in breach of the terms of the interim court order,” Lukhele said.
The department had no proposed date when the report will be released, according to Matuka.
Monday's march was aimed at getting the acting chief executive to step down, for the removal of corrupt officials and the release of the investigations report, as well as for the department to fill vacant posts at the hospital and introduce fair employment opportunities for everyone.
The unions have accused the acting chief executive of “selling positions” at the hospital and nepotism, the intimidation of senior managers and outstanding payments such as payment for overtime worked by hospital employees.
Yandisa Zungula, union spokesperson for Denosa told City Press that a previous march was held on August 1 when a memorandum was initially handed over the hospital.
“We were told by the department that an investigation was already taking place, and that we would get the feedback within seven days. That never happened so we met again and were told that it would be released shortly. But workers were still aggrieved due to the delay,” Zungula said.
The workers decided to try to fast-track the department’s investigation and took to the streets.
“The march was successful. Despite there being a large army of police who were deployed, there were no incidences. We said that the acting chief executive cannot be in office while he is being investigated. This is what we told the department officials who came to talk to us yesterday,” he said.
The department said that it was going to make an announcement soon on when they would pay workers their outstanding money for things like overtime, Zungula said.
At about 8pm on Monday night, a meeting finally got under way between the various union representatives and health department officials, including Lukhele.
“We agreed with the department that they will be bringing in an external investigator and by the end of this week they will be announcing this. The department also agreed to announce the appointment of a new chief executive, so we are waiting for that,” Zungula said.
At 7am on Tuesday morning, the unions addressed workers outside the hospital and told the aggrieved workers that they could continue the day without any interruptions to their work.
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