Last week, Health Minister Joe Phaahla claimed that four deaths could be directly attributed to the strike, but the union denies this.
JOHANNESBURG - The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union's general secretary, Zola Saphetha, said on Sunday the government must take responsibility for any lives lost during strike action, not the union.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla made the claims of lives lost while at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital during a site visit at the height of the strike last Wednesday.However, Saphetha said the union had acted legally and that the allegations were misplaced. Emergency teams are also believed to have been unable to respond to some emergency calls as access to some facilities remained blockaded."There's no conclusive finding that points to us," said Saphetha."The state must take responsibility for any incident that would have occurred."Tensions in the public sector were sparked by a collapse in the 2022 wage negotiations, with a further strain between unions and the government after a new offer for 2023 was recently tabled.
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