SOUTH AFRICA: Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi says public sector strike is "murder"

Record ID: 339248

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi says public sector strike is "murder"
  • Date: 21st August 2010
  • Summary: MILITARY TROOPS WALKING AROUND THE HOSPITAL GROUND TROOPS GUARDING PREMISES.
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Employment,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACOPRUU8HA1SHYSCEGQHI9G3T5
  • Story Text: South Africa's Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi on Friday (August 20) called strike action by more than one million public sector workers which interrupted vital medical care "murder".
    Motosaledi was at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital where the hospital is operating on skeleton staff as the majority are taking part in the public servants strike. They are demanding a 8.6 percent salary increase and R1000 (136 USD) housing allowance. The government has offered 7 percent and 700 rand housing allowance.
    "If you get into the theatre where somebody is being operated, under anesthesia and you 'toyi toyi' (referring to protesting) there and disrupt, you are committing murder. I can't describe it in any other terms. You are saying that this innocent person who doesn't even know what is going on must actually die. It can never be allowed, we don't know of any part of the world where such a thing is practiced, and we are not going to allow it here, we are not about to allow it here. That is why I came here personally to make sure that this place functions and I'm going to work," said Motsoaledi.
    There is no confirmed number of deaths of patients who have died since the strike, but Gauteng's provincial minister of health Qedani Mahlangu said the death toll could be as high as ten.
    Motsoaledi brought with him 60 people from his ministry to help run the hospital.
    The minister himself said he will help care for the patients while the strike continues.
    The army was called in to protect working health workers after it was reported that non-striking workers were being intimidated.
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