Unpaid for three months: KZN hospital cleaners demand justice

In a troubling development, cleaners at Niemeyer Hospital in Utrecht, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, are facing severe financial hardship after going three months without their wages.

Despite their unwavering dedication to maintaining hygiene and sanitation within the healthcare facility, a payment dispute between their employer, Luyandiza Investments, and the provincial Department of Health has jeopardised their livelihoods.

These cleaning staff, often regarded as the unsung heroes of the hospital, have continued to diligently perform their daily duties even as the months pass without compensation.

This grim situation arises from Luyandiza Investments’ claim that the provincial Department of Health has failed to remit payments for cleaning services, leading to this troubling delay.

The precise nature of the Department's funding issues remains unclear, with potential culprits including financial constraints, inefficient administrative procedures, and contractual disagreements.

Limited funding and cumbersome bureaucracy are frequently cited as ongoing problems within South Africa's provincial health departments, placing KwaZulu-Natal's health system's financial management practices under scrutiny.

Without clear answers from the Department of Health, speculation continues to grow regarding the true causes of this administrative failure. The ramifications for those caught in the crossfire are dire; employees at Niemeyer Hospital, essential to maintaining operations, now find themselves in a precarious position, working for months without financial support.

The plight of these cleaners not only highlights systemic issues within provincial health funding but also raises critical questions about the protection and rights of outsourced employees in South Africa. In a statement released by Zwe Nxumalo, ActionSA Newcastle Local Municipality Councillor & Chief Whip, the organisation has taken a firm stand in the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights, focusing on the alarming situation faced by contracted cleaners at Niemeyer Hospital.

These frontline workers, employed by Luyandiza Investments, have reportedly gone three months without receiving their salaries, a situation driven by allegations that a lack of funding from the Department of Health has crippled the capacity to pay service providers. This grim scenario underscores the urgent need for accountability and immediate action from the Department of Health.

ActionSA has formally requested a meeting with KwaZulu-Natal's MEC for Health, Hon Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, urging her to explain the untenable position of these workers, who continue to report for duty under harsh conditions despite the absence of wages. “It is disgraceful that the Department of Health has allowed such a situation to persist,” said an ActionSA representative. “These workers play a critical role in maintaining hygiene and safety in our healthcare facilities, yet they are being exploited and left to fend for themselves.”

The plight of the cleaners has come to light as they echo a distressing narrative: Luyandiza Investments claims that the impasse regarding their salaries stems from the Department's failure to disburse funds. In their letter to the MEC, ActionSA outlined several pressing queries seeking clarification:

• Why has the Department not compensated its contractor, Luyandiza Investments, for services rendered?
• When can the affected workers expect their outstanding wages to be disbursed?
• Will the Department initiate steps to ensure that all unpaid workers receive their back pay for the past three months?

Additionally, ActionSA is seeking an update on the government’s pledge regarding the insourcing of such workers—a commitment made by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli aimed at providing better working conditions for contracted staff.

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