Pretoria – The Labour Court has granted the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) leave to enforce the interdict of the public service workers’ strike.
However, the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) on Monday said it has launched an appeal at the Labour Appeal Court (LAC).
The union insists the strike was going ahead.
NEHAWU added: “Having launched an appeal of today’s judgment, the national union will be forging ahead with the Public Service Strike until a determination is made on our appeal at the LAC.
“As NEHAWU, we remain resolute that no amount of court intimidation by the government will deter us from this noble worthy cause that we have embarked on – fighting for public servants, defending collective bargaining and rights of workers.”
Explaining the court action, the union said after it filed a request for leave to appeal the court order “interdicting our strike, the DPSA urgently approached the court to file for an execution of the order”.
The matter was heard Monday at 09:00 and judgment was delivered at 14:00.
The union subsequently launched an appeal at LAC
“As NEHAWU, we believe that the Judge made an error of law in arriving at the determination of granting the leave to execute, and as such, the national union has launched an appeal on todays judgment,” said the union, whose members have been accused of blocking access to public hospitals and clinics.
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“We believe strongly that the LAC will arrive at a different conclusion on the matter,” NEHAWU said.
“Having launched an appeal of today’s judgment, the national union will be forging ahead with the Public Service Strike until a determination is made on our appeal at the LAC.”
