At least 13 injured after police fire rubber bullets at striking Bara workers - Nehawu

Striking workers affiliated with the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), had blockaded the main entrance to the hospital amid the ongoing wage strikes at health facilities across the country.   

According to Nehawu’s branch secretary, Dennis Mtshali the officers fired indiscriminately, claiming they had not been provoked.   

“What happened today shocked all of us because for the past two days we’ve been having a very peaceful strike. All of a sudden, a different group of police comes in here and they just started shooting at people who were peacefully demonstrating.”  

He claims the officers went on to shoot at people who were nowhere near the hospital gates.  

“About 11 of our members were shot and injured and there also two patients who were injured.”  

Nomasonto Makhubu is a general worker at Bara and was shot in the leg.   

“We knew as comrades that when we strike there shouldn’t be anything wrong that we must do. People came in to get their medication and see the doctor as they please. We were outside the gate, but the policemen were already there. There were some burning tyres but I don’t know what triggered the police to come to us with the rubber bullets – all I heard was ‘boom’ and people were running all over the place.”  

Makhubu claims she was shot at close range: “I was running alone by the road and this policeman was running behind me and he was the one that shot me in the leg.”  

She says they believe their right to strike has been infringed.   

Earlier, during a press briefing with the health minister at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, which was also affected, Johannesburg District Commissioner Max Masha admitted the police were stretched on Wednesday when the strike intensified.   

“Yes, we were thinly spread yesterday as the strike was starting. However, even at the hospitals that the minister was talking about like Helen Josephs where the court order has already been applied for and is in place the docket will have to be opened and whoever is violating the law will be arrested.”  

But Masha would not agree that police failed to protect the rights of members of the public to have access to health care.  

“We will definitely investigate if there was any lapse from us where we were supposed to act. However, the police are always careful not to escalate the strike that’s why they try make sure that they act right.”  

National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said police continue to heighten visibility to ensure citizens have access to healthcare services.

She said police made arrests in the Free State (3), Northern Cape (1), and the North West (3) on charges ranging between malicious damage to property and public violence.

Mathe confirmed the Baragwanath Hospital incident. 

"In Gauteng, the police had to utilise stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters that were blocking the main entrance and roads leading into Baragwanath Hospital."

She said police continue to keep a close eye on the situation.

Meanwhile, Nehawu's Mtshali said after the "hostility" that was displayed by police, workers are now more resolute to make their frustrations heard.  

"As much as we are healthcare professionals we are also heading families. So, you can't isolate us from the communities. What we are feeling as pain is what the families and the communities are feeling as their pain. We are saying the struggle continues until somebody responds to our demands and our demand is 10%." 

Workers on the ground were awaiting feedback from union representatives who met at the bargaining council in Centurion on Thursday to decide on a way forward regarding the strike.