Fully clad in a blue overall, a mask and safety gloves; Premier Nomvula Mokonyane showed why many in the province call her "Mama Action".
Mokonyane joined some hundred volunteers for a long day's work at the Dunswart provincial laundry.
On Wednesday, Mokonyane accompanied by MECs of Agriculture and Rural Development and Infrastructure Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza and Nonhlanhla Mazibuko, rolled up their sleeves and assisted with the washing and ironing of hospital laundry.
The laundry's two factories were packed to capacity with about two weeks of hospital linen and patient gowns after the majority of the workforce joined the public service industrial action.
Furthermore, Dunswart laundry does washing and ironing for the entire Ekurhuleni region and some Sedibeng hospitals. It is currently operating at 30 percent capacity; adversely affecting the functioning hospitals.
There are about 75 staff members working from a full complement of 325 and the place is struggling badly to keep up with its responsibility.
It was against this background that the Premier decided to pitch in and join the volunteers and help clear the backlog.
Most volunteers were bused in from Thembisa with many being young people who were just happy to assist.
Jeffrey Kay, 20, said: "My brother you can see for yourself here there are lots of dirty linen that must taken back to hospitals, so that's I'm here to help".
Meanwhile Paradise Mkhabela, 47, of Vusumuzi echoed Kay's sentiment and urged people to come forward and help.
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
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