Call for Cyril to stop mortuary strike

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) yesterday called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently intervene in the ongoing mortuary strike in KwaZulu-Natal.

Staff at government mortuaries have been on a go-slow for two weeks for a wage increase.

They are also protesting about “unbearable” working conditions such as non-functioning air-conditioners and toilets, old uniforms and lack of cleaning equipment.

Last week, KZN MEC of health Sibongiseni Dhlomo took matters into his own hands, donning surgical gloves and performing two autopsies as forensic pathology services had ground to a halt at Fort Napier Medico-Legal Mortuary in Piertermaritzburg.

Ncamisile Nkwanyana, the IFP spokesperson on health, blamed Premier Willies Mchunu for the situation, saying that his failure to intervene clearly showed he was not concerned about the citizens of the province.

“We expected the premier to speak out against the actions of the department of health.

“Therefore, it is time that the president intervenes” Nkwanyana said.

“Urgent intervention is imperative because it is unacceptable for family members to have to wait for the bodies of their deceased relatives.

“The president must do this under his Thuma Mina campaign to improve service delivery.

“The IFP is urging him to fulfil this promise. Honourable president, the time has come to deal decisively with challenges facing workers in KwaZulu-Natal mortuaries.”

Nkwanyana added that if dead bodies in mortuaries were not preserved timeously, the public could be exposed to serious infectious diseases. – ANA