NEHAWU Mpumalanga Statement On The Permanent Employment of Community Health Workers and HTS Counsellors in the Province
Tuesday December 09, 2025
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in Mpumalanga welcomes the permanent employment of 2 172 Community Health Workers [CHWs], including HTS Counsellors, by the Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Health. This development follows the historic agreement signed between NEHAWU and the National Department of Health on 25 November 2025.
This milestone marks a significant victory in our ongoing struggle to secure decent work, job security, dignity, and improved working conditions for workers in the healthcare sector. NEHAWU further assures all remaining CHWs and HTS Counsellors that the union will not relent on this struggle.
Our commitment remains steadfast until the outstanding 3 764 workers across both categories are permanently absorbed. We have noted the commitment and the preposition made by the Provincial Department of Health that qualifying HTS Counsellors will be absorbed through the normal recruitment processes, and our position as the union is that such processes should be implemented expeditiously in a manner in which it does not prejudice our members.
In this regard, the union in the province is continuously engaging with the Department of Health in ensuring that the HTS Counsellors are included in the whole process of employing the Community Health Workers. Furthermore, we are pursuing the Department to come up with some interventions and means to assist with the permanent employment of those Community Health Workers and HTS Counsellors whom are purported not to be meeting the criteria by the Department.
The union is currently engaging the Mpumalanga Department of Health to finalise the absorption of the remaining workers in line with the signed agreement. These engagements are ongoing and remain a priority for the organisation as we push for the full implementation of the commitments made by the Department.
The union is also convening membership update sessions across all four regions. These sessions serve as a platform to interact directly with members, communicate progress and unpack the contents of the agreement to ensure full understanding, transparency and unity within the membership.
Furthermore, NEHAWU remains unwavering in its mission to defend and advance the rights, interests and socio-economic well-being of workers. Our struggle for permanent and decent employment for all CHWs and HTS Counsellors continues with determination and revolutionary discipline.
Lastly, we call on the Mpumalanga Department of Health to expedite and finalise all outstanding processes related to the permanent employment of all 5 224 Community Health Workers and 712 HTS Counsellors, for the betterment of their conditions of service and the strengthening of healthcare service delivery in the province.
END
Issued by NEHAWU Mpumalanga Secretariat
For more information please contact Welcome Mnisi (Provincial Secretary) at 082 455 2897 or email welcome@nehawu.org.za or
Gift Maseko (Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 063 685 3461 or email gift@nehawu.org.za
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za
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