Cape Town — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced their intentions to lay criminal charges against striking National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members after a young pregnant woman passed away.
The DA alleges that the young woman from Pietermaritzburg, Thandokuhle Mlotshwa did not receive swift medical attention following a hit-and-run incident, leading to her death.
The party said that it wrote to KZN’s health MEC requesting that she file charges, but hasn’t done so within the time frame she was given.
“The DA wrote to Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, the KZN Health MEC, Friday last week, requesting that she file charges within 72 hours. That deadline has passed, and the DA will now act in the best interests of the people of KZN, whose constitutional right to quality healthcare must be upheld.”
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According to TimesLIVE, Nehawu’s regional secretary Mazwi Ngubane said that he was at Grey’s Hospital the day the incident occurred and revealed that no protesters denied anyone of medical assistance.
“We are not fighting with the community, but we are fighting the government. We serve the community and we will never gamble with their lives. We wish the family could deal with the department of health directly, as they are the ones that fail to provide assistance,” Ngubane was quoted saying.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla reportedly warned striking members of Nehawu to return to work on Tuesday morning or face criminal charges or possible dismissal.
“Any employee who fails to comply with this court order will be committing an act of misconduct subject to disciplinary action including possible dismissal. Any person committing any criminal act in pursuit of the strike action will be subjected to criminal proceedings” EWN quoted Phaahla as saying.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
