Mortuary workers forced to return after go-slow

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has announced that the “go-slow” by forensic pathology workers has ended and all employees are back at work.

Fort Napier mortuary in Pietermaritzburg led the go-slow, followed by Park Rynie on the South Coast and Pinetown, west of Durban.

The go-slow, which lasted for several weeks, saw bodies left waiting to be autopsied piling up, as workers were conducting one autopsy a day.

Funerals had to be postponed and at least one irate family stormed the Fort Napier mortuary to remove the body of a loved one after a long delay.

The workers embarked on the go-slow because of appalling working conditions and poor pay.

The department successfully took the employees to court to force them to return to work.

Health spokesperson Ncumisa Mafunda said the go-slow came to an end after staff were summoned by the magistrate.

“They are back at work and are working. While we do not think the strike will resume, we are doing all (we can), together with the National Department of Health, to resolve all challenges that were raised,” she said.

A source disputed the department’s version, saying although the workers were at work, they were doing minimal work. “In Park Rynie, the bodies are piling up. To date, there are still about 19 bodies that need (to be) autopsied. Some of the bodies have been here for two or three weeks and families are complaining.

“There are staff shortages in forensics and the workers had been covering those shortages. Since the department is not willing to meet them halfway, the workers have also stopped going that extra mile,” said the source.

IFP MPL Ncamisile Nkwanyana said the party had been told by the department that work had resumed, but were still waiting for a full report from the MEC.

DA health spokesperson Dr Imraan Keeka said the problems had not been resolved.

“It is very likely that we are going to see these problems play out again.”

The regional secretary of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union in the Harry Gwala district, Zimasile Giyama, said workers were still on “work-to-rule”.

While we don’t think the strike will resume, we are doing all we can to resolve all challenges

Ncumisa Mafunda Health spokesperson