Community health workers to receive feedback

GEORGE NEWS - The demand of community health workers (CHWs) in the Garden Route to be incorporated as permanent employees in the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness will be responded to by the department at a later stage.

A group of CHWs held a protest march in George on Wednesday 22 November, handing over a memorandum with their demands to the regional health manager, Edith Swanevelder. The document was addressed to health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo and the regional office will relay it to her.

Luke Albert, media liaison officer for the Ministry of Health and Wellness, said the department will furnish Nupsaw (the National Union for Public Service and Allied Workers) with a response in due course. Nupsaw organised the protest. Provincial and national representatives of the union from Cape Town and Pretoria were in George to oversee proceedings.

Nupsaw maintains that there is no "rational or legal basis" for the continued exclusion of CHWs from being absorbed as public servants, as the type of work they are performing is permanent in nature.

It accused the department of health of shifting its responsibility to NGOs, who make use of CHW’s services.

A protester said some of them have been working for NGOs for many years, receiving only stipends. Not being permanently employed, they have to renew their contracts every year and they do not enjoy any medical aid or retirement benefits.

The workers are also demanding a danger allowance as they often have to face aggressive dogs and being robbed while out on house visits to patients.

Nupsaw last year opposed the Labour Department's intention to investigate a sectoral determination on the terms and conditions of CHWs in South Africa. The union viewed this as a regressive step from the progress it had made to have these workers integrated into the public service.

Nupsaw also accused the Western Cape Provincial Government of failing to adhere to a 2018 agreement with the PHSDSBC (Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council), which stipulates some benefits for CHWs. The workers are facing increased work hours and added responsibilities at the NGOs where they work, said Nupsaw.

The letter of demands was handed over to the regional health manager, Edith Swanevelder at the York Park building. Photo supplied