Employees at Helen Bishop Orthopaedic Aftercare Home in Kimberley were left high and dry after they could not get answers from management regarding the non-payment of salaries.
EMPLOYEES at Helen Bishop Orthopaedic Aftercare Home in Kimberley were left high and dry after they could not get answers from management regarding the non-payment of salaries.
The employees at the facility downed tools on Wednesday morning and marched to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital. According to them, they have not received salaries for the past five months.
They, however, later found out that the problem was not with the management at the hospital, but rather with the management of the facility where they are employed.
Angry workers said that they had been sent on a wild goose chase by the facility’s management, while management knew what was going on.
“We marched all the way to the hospital as we were under the impression that the Department of Health was to blame for not paying us our salaries. However, we learnt during a meeting with the department that processes the payments to Helen Bishop, that the payments have been made.
“It was, in fact, our facility’s management that withheld our money.
“When we showed the proof of payment from the Health Department to our facility’s matron, she took her handbag and left. She did not provide any explanation on what happened. The matron could have explained to us what the challenges are.”
Some staff members indicated they were caught between a rock and a hard place.
“What is heartbreaking is that we take care of children with cerebral palsy and who are unable to fend for themselves. The children must be fed and bathed. If the entire staff decide to embark on a full-blown strike then these children will suffer.
“When we marched to the hospital, some employees had to remain behind in order to take care of the children. We do not want to punish the children for something they have not created.
“We need urgent intervention in this matter and someone has to take responsibility for this problem that has escalated to this point,” they said.
Northern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Lebogang Majaha said the department has fulfilled its responsibility of ensuring that payment to the facility was done timeously.
“We have no record of outstanding accounts regarding Helen Bishop Home. We have provided the payment records of the department to the protesting Helen Bishop officials. The department was not aware that the workers had not been paid,” said Majaha.
Staff members vowed that they would continue with protests at the facility until their questions have been answered and they have received their outstanding salaries.
