NEHAWU Limpopo Statement On The Media Publicity And Populism By The MEC Of Health Towards Healthcare Workers
Wednesday January 25, 2023
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in Limpopo is flabbergasted by the continued embarrassing populist stance and utterances by the MEC for Health Dr Phopi Ramathuba towards healthcare workers in the province.
The MEC has of late embarked on a populist program of shamelessly embarrassing healthcare workers in various hospitals in the province. Her cheap populist media stance towards defenseless staff members in health facilities is nothing else but a cheap political publicity stance and a cover up of her failure to manage her management in the department. The MEC and management of the department of health is not inspiring confidence with her behavior towards workers in the department and equally the people of the province, who expect quality public healthcare services.
As NEHAWU, we condemn this behavior by the MEC and we call on the MEC to stop with populist publicity stunts that she has embarked on and rather and focus on the day to day challenges of the department. Our members and healthcare workers in the province are working under difficult conditions with severe shortage of staff, shortage of equipment, dilapidated infrastructure and highly compromised security at their workplaces. These people need to be inspired and given confidence because one health worker is doing the work of atleast four people. A nurse for instance becomes a porter, a messenger, a cleaner, a mortuary attendant etc. all this work is not appreciated by the department. When it comes to incentives, performance bonus, they must first fight with the department before they are paid and even the payment is obscure.
The media stunts by the MEC reflect nothing but a person who lacks a comprehensive understanding of the challenges that workers are faced with in the healthcare system. As NEHAWU, we want to send a stern warning to the MEC to stop with this harassment and bullying of health workers. The time spent going around yelling and dehumanizing workers, should utilized by focusing on ensuring that all vacant funded posts across the categories within the department are filled.
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Issued by NEHAWU Limpopo Secretariat Office
Issued by NEHAWU Limpopo Secretariat Moses Maubane [Provincial Secretary] 063 685 1884
email: Moses@nehawu.org.za or
Jacob Adams [Provincial Deputy Secretary] at 082 558 5966 or email to Jacob@nehawu.org.za
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za