The Democratic Alliance is alarmed that EFF members have blockaded the Gauteng Health Department’s Tshwane district office and forced 200 staff out of their offices.
Trouble started three weeks ago when about 40 EFF members sat in the lobby of the Fedsure building in Tshwane’s inner city and harassed health staff.
Things became increasingly difficult, and since Thursday last week the 200 staff members have had to be relocated elsewhere to try and do their work.
The Tshwane district office services 77 clinics, and their work has been severely disrupted. Newly hired clinic workers won’t get paid this month if the human resource unit cannot get access to their offices.
Both the department and the landlord have laid criminal charges, but the police have not been visible in removing them.
The EFF members are demanding jobs and refuse to leave, some of them sleeping overnight in the building.
On Monday, this week the EFF’s Gauteng Chairperson Itani Mukwevho allegedly arrived at the building and demanded that security let them in to the health department’s offices. He was allegedly abusive when they refused.
Mukwevho is also an MPL and is the EFF Leader in the Gauteng Legislature.
This appalling behaviour by the EFF is unacceptable. It is cruel to make false promises about jobs to their supporters, and patients in Tshwane clinics suffer because of their disruption of the district office.
The department cannot be forced to provide jobs to members of any political party. Whatever jobs there are should be advertised and people appointed on merit.
The DA will be taking this up with the police to ensure that the health staff can do their jobs without threats and hindrance.