NEHAWU Northern Cape On The Malicious Lies By The HOD Of The Provincial Department Of Social Department
Saturday February 27, 2021
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) in the Northern Cape province has learned with utter shock the decision by the Department of Social Development to disregard DPSA circular 1 of 2021. The Head of Department (HOD), Mrs D. Samson, unilaterally decided to force all workers to return to work and this is in violation of the circular and regulations of the national lockdown level 3 which stipulates that only 50% of workers must be on duty any given time.
In her misguided and very clumsily formulated internal memo which has found ways into social media, the HOD sites the end of the financial year as the reason why workers must all report for duty on the 1st of March 2021. She further attempted to drive a wedge against our members and the leadership collective of the NEHAWU by making unfounded statements on her malicious and reckless decision.
We wish to make it clear to all our members and workers in general that the union has at no point met with nor had a discussion with the Department of Social Development regarding the working arrangements of any program rendered by the department. Furthermore, at no point did the union meet with nor agree with the department’s decision not to pay EPMD’s for the year 2019/2020 to all deserving and selfless workers in the department. In this regard, we want to send a strong warning to the HOD to desist from these juvenile delinquent tendencies. The continued attacks on workers, intimidation and general disregard for unions by the department will not be tolerated any longer.
We call on all our members and workers in general affected by that internal memo of DSD, to disregard that reckless communique issued by the HOD. In our view, returning workers to 100% working arrangements will have irrecoverable consequences for all of us. NEHAWU remains committed to mitigating the further spread of COVID-19 and will continue to defend workers against irresponsible managers who lack foresight and strategic planning.
Issued by NEHAWU Northern Cape Provincial Secretariat
Steffen Cornelius {Provincial Secretary} at 082 455 1792;
Tebogo Mompati {Provincial Deputy Secretary} at 063 685 2461;