Johannesburg – The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in Tuesday said it was forging ahead with plans to stage national protests amid an increase in the Covid-19 infection rate among frontline workers.
At least 24,000 health-care workers had tested positive for the coronavirus in the country so far, and over 100 fatalities were recorded.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said that the protection of health workers was a top priority for government but Nehawu claimed that government had failed its members.
Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said that they would be going ahead with at least seven demonstrations scheduled nationally over the next two months because government had shown that health workers were on their own.
“The issue of the protection of our members has always been there since the outbreak of the virus, and all our pleas and demands have fallen on deaf ears,” said Xaba.
Nehawu said that a meeting was scheduled for Thursday with Mkhize, but they could not call off their protests yet as talks with government to address their issues has so far failed.
