Pretoria forensic workers end strike

Post-mortems on all outstanding cases are being fast-tracked by forensic officers at all forensic pathology laboratories in Pretoria.

Service facilities workers in Pretoria have ended their unprotected industrial strike action over salaries.

Gauteng MEC for health Qedani Mahlangu yesterday assured the public that operations at all state facilities were back to normal.

The department applied for a court interdict against the striking employees, which was granted last Saturday.

In granting the interdict, Labour Court Judge J Thlothlalemaje said: “It is accepted that the right to strike is constitutionally entrenched.

“However, with this right come responsibilities and obligations, which are set out in section 64 of the [Labour Relations Act], for that strike to be deemed protected.

“The right to human dignity, and to have one’s dignity respected and protected, on the other hand, as enshrined in the constitution, arise from our very existence as human beings and, more importantly, from our concept of ubuntu.

“No procedural requirements are necessary for the enforcement of such rights and society as whole is automatically expected to respect those rights without much thought.”

Mahlangu said forensic officers were now back at work. “Post-mortems on all outstanding cases are being fast-tracked accordingly.”

Mahlangu added: “We have been interacting with them to resolve their issues, but we don’t condone disruption of service delivery.”