7 June 2007
The Head of Department (HOD) for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health,
Dr BM Nyembezi, will address an urgent media briefing on the latest
developments regarding the national strike action that has taken place as from
1 June 2007.
Amongst issues that the HOD will address to the media are as follows:
* how the strike has negatively impacted on the service delivery of health
services
* statistics on death rates in our provincial hospitals in the past year
* statistics on death rates in our provincial hospitals as a result of the
strike action
* interventions undertaken so far to ensure that the lives of our people is not
compromised
* action to be taken against the employees of the department who are
participating in the strike action
* other crucial matters in relation to the strike action.
With the employer and unions reaching deadlock around negotiations for wage
increase, the unions then decided to partake in an indefinite strike action as
from the 1 June 2007, as a way of rejecting the 6% increase the government is
offering.
KZN Department of Health is one of the departments who provide essential
services to our communities and is guided by the Patients' Charter on the
rights of patients. One of our crucial mandates of the department in relation
to the Patients' Charter is to ensure the provision of health services to the
people and safeguarding the lives of our people.
It is noted that as a result of this strike action, this rights of patients
is seriously violated beyond imaginable doubt. Our hospital services have been
severely disrupted since the strike action began. As a department, we
acknowledge the constitutional rights of employees to associate with employee
unions and to partake in industrial action, to voice out their concerns. As we
acknowledge these rights on one hand, on the other hand we have a mandate and
obligation to fulfil by ensuring that the lives of our people are
protected.
The media is invited to an urgent briefing detailed as follows:
Date: 7 June 2007
Time: 12h00pm
Venue: MEC's Boardroom, 1st Floor, North Tower, Natalia Building, 330
Langalibalele Street, Pietermaritzburg
For further information, please contact:
Mr Leon Mbangwa
General Manager: Corporate Communication
KZN Department of Health Spokesperson
Cell: 083 459 8695
Issued by: Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
7 June 2007
