Community health workers in Limpopo calling for permanent employment

Some community health workers in Limpopo who have been working for years without permanent contracts say they are struggling to make ends meet. They have called on the Health Department to change their contracts from temporary to permanent.

Labour unions, SAFTU and NUPSAW say 3 000 health workers were given permanent contracts, while about 700 others are yet to be absorbed permanently.

One of the concerned workers Masemole Lekgau, expresses her frustration.

“It’s painful for us because they take only one caters under the five categories under chw’s because we know CHW’s is an umbrella. So now they decided to only take only community health workers those who do door to door and they don’t tell us anything, if you ask they say there is no money, the employer does not want to hire you. They only need those who are doing door to door.”

Meanwhile, the Acting Deputy Director in the office of the Premier, Rudzani Murovhi says they have received the concerns from the health care workers.

“We are currently working on the response to the memo you have given us. We have not yet finished. We will respond within the short period of time. But we are working on the response.”