NEHAWU Western Cape Statement On The Shooting Incident At New Somerset Hospital
Tuesday May 10, 2022
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in the Western Cape Province has learnt has with shock and sadness of the shooting incident at the New Somerset Hospital which led to two patients and a police officer losing their lives.
As NEHAWU, we believe that the incident has now strongly proven correct our call for the inclusion of all health workers on the danger allowance benefit, and this of course out of the appreciation that not only nurses and doctors are in danger in these health institutions but equally the poorly paid security officials, porters, admin clerks, and messengers are all in danger as opposed to the narrow thinking pertaining to danger allowance.
NEHAWU calls on the Western Cape government to take all employees of New Somerset Hospital to counselling because they are traumatised of setting their foot at work, but further do all in its powers to ensure safety of our members in their workplaces. Lately it’s even difficult for Emergency Medical Services officials to respond to calls for help in impoverished townships as a result of crime.
Lastly, NEHAWU calls on the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure a successful prosecution as a way of ensuring criminals think twice before they take the lives of our people regardless of the circumstances.
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Issued by NEHAWU Western Cape Secretariat
Cde Baxolise Mali (NEHAWU Western Cape Provincial Secretary) at 066 3050 591 or Baxolise@nehawu.org.za
Cde Lucky Bopape (Western Cape Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 083 719 0692 or email: LBopape@gmail.com
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za