The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), on Wednesday 11 November 2020, embarked on a nationwide protest action on behalf of Community Healthcare Workers (CHW). NEHAWU has indicated that the strike is of an indefinite nature to the extend where the employer agrees to appoint affected workers permanently.

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The strike is, therefore, in its second week and The VIP Team has been, and will continue, monitoring developments at a local level, this is also while not taking our eyes from the national nature of the development. In Vryburg’s township, Huhudi, the first couple of days of the protest was close to nonexistent, this is as institutions that host CHW continued to operate with ease. However the the days that followed thereafter were very different, scores of NEHAWU T-Shirt wearing individuals were seen by chanting and burning rubble and tyres outside the gates of Huhudi Clinic. This was under the watchful eye of the South African Police Service (SAPS), who were around, making sure that no distraction of property was happening and to make sure that no violent acts occurred. According to those that had gathered, their actions were mainly to prevent those planning to go to work, or those wanting to use the facility, from doing so. A plan that seemed very effective for the most part of the week. The clinic was not operational during days that protest action was underway. Most of the workers that were locked out of their workplace stuck around the protest area in solidarity with those protesting.

According Zola Saphetha, NEHAWU’s National General Secretary, the strike comes due to the failure of the Health Departments both at national and in provinces to fully comply with Resolution 1 of 2018 which directs the department to engage with unions at the bargaining council on modalities for permanent absorption of Community Health Workers.

The National Union says it’s frustration is that big promises were made in the past, but it seems like there is no movement towards those plans. Saphetha highlighted some of these promises by the employer, “The National Health Insurance (NHI) White Paper identifies Community Health Workers as part of the Ward Based Primary Health Care Teams for the successful implementation of the National Health Insurance, while in his address on the 15th October 2020 President Ramaphosa announced the employment of mere a 6000 community health care workers and nursing assistants over the next three years. Whereas in the 2019 Elections Manifesto, the African National Congress (ANC) committed itself to “absorb 50,000+ community health care workers in the public service”. They undertook to double the numbers in 5 years and deploy them in our villages, townships and informal settlements.”

On Monday, 23 November 2020, The VIP Team further observed that be Huhudi Clinic was operational amid the union’s protest period. With concern, we then approached the Chairperson of NEHAWU in the Vryburg Region, Andy Leburu, in an effort to try and understand the situation better. According to Leburu, “The lack of visible protest action on Huhudi’s Street is not an indication that the strike is over. Our strike is indefinite, and we, as NEHAWU, have prepared for it extensively. The reason your team did not see any protest action is because we currently have a lot of consultations that are happening in the background. All that will be in preparation to intensify the strike.” He indicated to us that mobilization of more union members and workers is currently underway. “We can not continue to work as normal while essential members of the Healthcare system and of the Community at large continue to be undignified in this manner. Community Healthcare Workers should be absorbed as permanent employees.”

In a probe to hear the other end of the narrative, The VIP Team spoke to the Department of Health in the North West Province. This is as NEHAWU’s strike directly implicates them as the employer. According to the Department’s Spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, “The Department has never refused to absorb community health workers full time. The Department only said parties to the Bargaining Council on this matter must respect the processes of the Council. The National Department of Health is also giving direction on how Community Health Workers are to be absorbed and the Department is respecting all these processes.”

Lekgethwane has described the protest action by NEHAWU and CHW as an illegal disruption of health services in clinics across the province. He further referred to it as the intimidation of workers.

-The VIP Team

-NEHAWU

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