Guards blockade city hospital

KARIBUNI security guards blockaded the entrance to the Kimberley Hospital Complex yesterday morning and no vehicles were permitted into the premises.

Staff at the James Exum building had to vacate their offices after pepper spray was dispersed in the building, with some staff complaining that they were feeling ill as they suffered from asthma or were pregnant.

Security guards stated that, as from today, no vehicles would be allowed access to any state health facility in the Province where they are employed.

“Once a strike certificate has been obtained there will be no security services for patients or staff. No ambulances will be allowed in either. It’s fine for the casualties and patients can also walk into the hospital, or be pushed in on stretchers,” the security guards said.

Traffic was allowed through the gates at about 10.30am yesterday after the police were called in to intervene, while workers gathered outside the HOD’s office, waiting for his return.

A stand-off ensued when a meeting that was scheduled to be held at 9am with the HOD for Health, Steven Jonkers, did not take place.

“Every time we arrange a meeting the HOD is nowhere to be found, does he have something to hide? We will not allow the new security company to take over the site. We have security guards from all the other districts of the Province who are joining us in strike action.”

The security guards are demanding clarity over their contracts after they were informed two weeks ago that their contracts would expire on Friday.

This follows after a R224 million contract was concluded by the Department of Health with Defensor Security as from November 1, for the next three years.

Karibuni Security, which employs over 700 security guards at the Department of Health’s offices throughout the Province, last week sent a letter of demand for R47 million that they say is owed to them.

They have also insisted that they be given three-months notice for the termination of their contract.

The guards stated that they had refused to collect their new Defensor uniforms as instructed yesterday.

“We do not want to work for another company. Interviews were held for new staff at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Colesberg.”

According to a lawyer’s letter from Adrian B Horwitz and Associates, it was stated that their client, Karibuni Security, requested that the Department of Health first consult with employees, make proposals regarding alternative employment and determine severance packages before terminating their services.

“The effective date of termination of the contract should be moved back to December 31 or that the department tenders to pay Karibuni for the months October, November and December 2017 in lieu of notice.”

The letter pointed out that the Department of Health had an outstanding account of R47 million that dated back to 2011 to date, where legal proceedings would be instituted if the debt was not paid within the next 30 days.

“The department is fully aware of the outstanding amount and of the benefit it has received over the years from Karibuni’s services. Under the circumstances it would be grossly inequitable if this amount is not cleared before the contract ends.”

Karibuni also intends challenging the manner in which the contract was awarded to Defensor Security.

Executive member of Karibuni Security Services, Motsamai Ranto, yesterday confirmed that the Department of Health owed him R47 million in outstanding fees.

“It is true, I have been paying staff out of my own pocket when I did not receive any funds from the department and now all my employees will be unemployed by the end of the week. I do not know how they will manage to pay the new service provider.”

He pointed out that they were only informed on October 5 that their contracts would not be renewed.

“I wrote to the department a day before after individuals visited the site to conduct security risk analysis, claiming that they had permission to do so. I was informed that we should vacate the site by October 27 to make way for the new contractor.”

Ranto added that he was not aware of the strike.

“Action will be taken against security guards who are not at their posts. We do not want vehicles broken into or patients or staff safety compromised. They did not inform me of any strike action. If they are fighting for their futures and bread in their spare time, I will not interfere.”

Chairperson of the Northern Cape Civics Organisation, Ross Henderson, questioned the haste in finalising the new security tender.

“The retrenchment process will take a minimum of three months to finalise. We will be monitoring if any advance payments are made to the new contractor. It is suspicious that Defensor knew in advance that they would be awarded the tender.”

He called for a full judicial commission of inquiry to be launched into the awarding of tenders at the Department of Health.

“This department is bankrupt and yet it is entering into a multimillion-rand security contract.”

Defensor Security and the Department of Health did not respond to media enquiries.