Military doctors keep hospitals going on third day of strike

Civilian volunteers and military doctors are keeping South African hospitals going on the third day of an indefinite public servant strike. Unionists were calmer on Friday after the army moved in and the government warned it would not tolerate intimidation.

Photo: Reuters/Rogan Ward

Essential workers and medical personnel are not supposed to be among the 1.3 million public servants striking for an 8.6 per cent pay rise.

Nevertheless military doctors were forced to don their scrubs at six major hospitals in Johannesburg and Durban.

Local radio stations appealed for volunteers to help clean, cook, feed and wash patients. Their safety was guaranteed by government.

Government spokesperson Themba Maseko voiced his anger at the militant behaviour of the strikers.

“We are responding to behaviour which is considered to be criminal and irresponsible,” he said.

The army medics said their priority is emergency care. While soldiers moved into the hospitals blocked by strikers yesterday to ensure doctors could do their jobs.

Picket lines were more peaceful, although water cannons were used at one Johannesburg hospital where tyres were burned outside the gates.

Schools remain closed.

With no negotiations scheduled for the weekend, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has to weight up the wisdom of embarking on a state visit to China on Monday.