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The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) has written a letter to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi asking him to intervene urgently in the severe safety crisis facing members of the Health & Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA), an affiliate of the union federation, in the Western Cape.

FEDUSA’s concern follows a spate of shocking attacks on HOPERSA ambulance drivers and emergency medical personnel which escalated during 2016, and intensified during the festive season in the region. It is scandalous that more than 100 cases have been documented during 2016 alone, protested FEDUSA President Godfrey Selematsela.

HOSPERSA’s provincial leadership has reported that Western Cape EMS has seen a total of seven attacks on ambulances during the festive season. One of the attacks was an incident where EMS members were robbed of their cellphones by two armed males while attending to a patient in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha.

FEDUSA blatantly and unreservedly objects to the consequent process that now subjects Hospersa members to disciplinary action, when they choose to stand down and not face the onslaught of putting their lives in danger by responding to these calls. Moreover, more than fifty employees are receiving post – traumatic stress treatment after being attacked, added Selematsela.

“To add insult to injury, staff are expected to pay for the treatment out of their own pockets. Accordingly, the reason for the department’s non-payment is that such injuries are not covered by the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), said Selematsela.

“This is simply unacceptable and FEDUSA would lobby and urge all stakeholder to consider a review of the legislation that is supposed to protect these vulnerable personnel.
Selematsela said engagements have been held with Western Cape Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo and her Head of Department, alongside calls for urgent intervention.

However, the staggered pace of action is only frustrating the process, which could ultimately lead to paralysis of the service and an injustice to the communities it is intended to service.

FEDUSA cautioned Minister Motsoaledi in its open letter that that the National Development Plan’s (NDP) Vision 2030 for Health and The Medium Term Strategic Framework (2014 to 2019) would remain simply unreachable if “a health system that works for everyone“, instead fails the very lifelines of the system and the intended communities, whilst demoralises instead of “improves human resources for health”.

FEDUSA therefore urgently appeals to Minister Motsoaledi to intervene and provide a national mandate to address this challenge, notwithstanding the fact this phenomenon has reared its ugly head in other provinces, including Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, cautioned Selematsela.

FEDUSA therefore requests the intervention from your office to provide the political mandate and operational support to stop this scourge,” emphasized Selematsela.

“We also request that you engage with the MEC to assist our affiliate, Hospersa, in finding possible solutions to protect our members and ultimately stop these attacks, with the least possible effect on service delivery.

“We are of the conviction that more can be done from the side of government to address the safety issues faced by these dedicated workers fulfilling the crucial role that they are.
We trust that you will respond to our request with the necessary urgency, so that we can find a lasting and amicable solution before unavoidable mass action becomes a reality in the key economic hubs of the country,” he concluded.

Issued by FEDUSA