DA welcomes ending of mortuary strike

6 July 2017

I welcome the announcement by Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa that the mortuary strike is over.

This strike lasted four weeks and caused incredible anguish and expense to families who waited many days to bury their loved ones.

Ramokgopa mishandled this strike from the start as mortuaries are an essential service and a court order should have stopped it.

She has mischaracterized it as a work-to-rule but it was illegal as the job description of the forensic assistants has always included assistance with autopsies under guidance of pathologists.

The department was also to blame for not addressing earlier the legitimate grievances of forensic assistants.

I hope that lessons are learned from this and that mortuary services work properly in future.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 6 July 2017