Nurses who refused to work the nightshift at the Laetitia Bam clinic in KwaNobuhle in July out of fear for their safety have received letters saying that their salaries will be docked under a “no work , no pay” system.
Each nurse stands to lose between R2,000 and R3,000 if deductions go ahead.
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) deputy provincial chair Thembisile Nogampule said the letters had been delivered on Thursday.
“For some time this morning the nurses were not on duty because they were considering their options,” he said.
He said the letters were dated August 24 and delivered on August 29.
“Yet the letters state that the nurses must respond within five days,” he said.
The nurses started refusing to report for night shift in July after a string of robberies and violent assaults at the clinic.
In the latest incident, at the end of July, security guards were tied up and robbed of their cellphones and wallets.
In other incidents, a doctor was beaten up by a drunk mob and criminals entered the clinic to “finish off” a teenager whose arm was broken.
The nurses demanded at the time that Eastern Cape department of health officials visit the clinic to address the security situation.
They also wanted a better panic button system and improved security and lighting.
Nursing staff returned to work at night after the department promised to upgrade security at the facility.
Nogampule said the TAC considered it unfair that nurses were being threatened by the department.
“They are traumatising their personnel,” he said.
“We have engaged with the superintendent-general, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, and he promised to consider a representation from the unions.”
At the time, clinic staff were demanding that a 24-hour security system with panic buttons be installed before they reopened the facility at night.
“We are still not happy about the panic buttons,” Nogampule said.
“They only ring at the gate where the security guards are and an SMS message is sent to the station commander of the KwaNobuhle police.”
Mxolisi Muleka, of Nehawu, said he was present when the panic button was tested and staff were not happy about it.
“It goes through to a phone of a policeman who then has to phone the police station.
“I think it will take a very long time to get a response in this way.
“We still haven’t seen the car with armed guards patroling.
“We are also unhappy about the letters.
“The nurses were working in the day because they were too scared to work at night.”
Health department spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha did not respond to a request for comment.