Update
KNYSNA NEWS - A week after a group of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members marched to the Knysna Provincial Hospital and Food Lover’s Market, the political party’s regional coordinator says there has been no feedback from either organisation.
Diswayne Maarman, EFF Eden District regional coordinator, said on Tuesday 8 May that no answers to their memorandums served on the hospital and grocer on Workers’ Day, 1 May, had been received.
The handover at the hospital happened without incident, but at Food Lover's Market (FLM), police were forced to use stun grenades to disperse the crowd during a momentary loss of control.
A week later, no response
“We will definitely follow up with them and engage around the matters raised if we do not receive any communication by next week,” he said on Tuesday. He reiterated that both parties had a further seven days to respond – 14 days since the march down Knysna’s Main Road from Nekkies.
EFF Ward 3 branch command team secretary and regional member Siyabulela Kolanisi said beforehand that the march was brought on by numerous concerns existing in Knysna.
The EFF reads out its memorandum in the presence of Food Lover's Market owner and management, under police supervision.
Various grievances
Employees at FLM claim they are being discriminated against, are victims of racism, and that management is abusing the Labour Relation Act (LRA) and does not follow due processes set out by the Act, among other issues.
Employees also said that they are forced to use a clocking system when using the toilet facilities at work, and that at the end of each month the time spent in the toilet is deducted from their salary. This was not the case for other employees, they said.
The many issues at the hospital included claims of unprofessionalism from staff regarding patient confidentiality, issuing similar medication for all illnesses, disappointing ambulance response times to outlying communities, no room for growth for hospital employees, allegations of white patients receiving better treatment than others, unhealthy diets for patients, the need for clinics to be open 24 hours a day, and the lack of staff.
EFF members and police clash in front of Food Lover's Market on 1 May. Photos: Stefan Goosen
'Awaiting feedback'
Western Cape Government Health regional spokesperson Nadia Ferreira said on 2 May that Dr Earle du Plooy, the medical manager of the Knysna and Bitou subdistricts, received the memorandum at Knysna Hospital.
“We take note of the EFF's points as stated in the memorandum. The memorandum has been shared with the provincial office from where feedback will be given via the appropriate channels,” she said.
On Tuesday 8 May, when asked for an update on the situation, Ferreira referred back to the above comment.
At the time of going to print on Wednesday 9 May, no comment had yet been received from FLM management.
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