Minister Joe Phaahla welcomes Labour Appeal Court decision on NEHAWU strike
14 March 2023
The Ministry and Department of Health welcome the Labour Appeal Court judgment delivered earlier today regarding the ongoing strike by the trade union, NEHAWU.
I take this opportunity to think my colleagues, the former Acting Minister and the current Minister, for pursuing this matter in the courts relentlessly in protection of the vulnerable members of the community who depend solely on the public health services.
There is no doubt that the strike has disrupted provision of essential healthcare services in the country, leading to untold suffering and frustrations amongst the public who desperately needed healthcare and life-saving treatment and other interventions in the public health facilities.
The court judgement concurs with the view that always being held by the Ministry and the Department that essential services workers are prohibited from engaging in disruptive industrial action which is detrimental to healthcare services with a risk of loss of life, as provided by the Labour Relations Act.