The strike for higher wages has slowed the treatment of the sick and shut schools across South Africa, adding pressure on the government to reach a deal.
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Striking health workers were today blocking the entrances to several hospitals in Gauteng.
"We know the unions threatened a total blockage," said Gauteng health spokesman Mandla Sidu. "We yesterday already spoke to CEOs to make sure they work closely with the police," he said.
"Should the need arise, they will call in the police to remove people".
The Gauteng health department has received reports of striking workers blocking the entrance to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria, while SABC radio reported that the same was happening at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg.
Sidu could not confirm a radio report that five people had died at Tembisa Hospital on Wednesday due to the strike.
But he said two babies died in the neo-natal unit of Natalspruit Hospital on Wednesday. "We are not yet certain whether it is due to the strike," Sidu said.
The countrywide public servants strike started on Wednesday, with several more unions joining in the mass action on Thursday.
The 200,000-strong Public Servants Association, affiliated to the Independent Labour Caucus, and the 72,000-strong health union Hospersa, were set to start striking on Thursday.
Members of the SA Democratic Teachers Union and the National Health and Allied Workers Union - aligned to the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) - are staying away from work, shutting down schools in several areas countrywide.
Courts seem unable to function properly as stenographers, interpreters and clerks are also taking part in the strike.
The unions first staged a one-day warning strike last week and say the protest action that began on Wednesday is the start of an indefinite strike aimed at grinding the government to a halt.
Analysts expect a deal to be reached in the next few days at the earliest or by the start of September at the latest. Any agreement is certain to swell State spending as the government tries to bring its deficit down from 6.7 percent of gross domestic product.
Day 2 of Strike - Hospitals blocked
The strike for higher wages has slowed the treatment of the sick and shut schools across South Africa, adding pressure on the government to reach a deal.
READ MORE...
Striking health workers were today blocking the entrances to several hospitals in Gauteng.
"We know the unions threatened a total blockage," said Gauteng health spokesman Mandla Sidu. "We yesterday already spoke to CEOs to make sure they work closely with the police," he said.
"Should the need arise, they will call in the police to remove people".
The Gauteng health department has received reports of striking workers blocking the entrance to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria, while SABC radio reported that the same was happening at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg.
Sidu could not confirm a radio report that five people had died at Tembisa Hospital on Wednesday due to the strike.
But he said two babies died in the neo-natal unit of Natalspruit Hospital on Wednesday. "We are not yet certain whether it is due to the strike," Sidu said.
The countrywide public servants strike started on Wednesday, with several more unions joining in the mass action on Thursday.
The 200,000-strong Public Servants Association, affiliated to the Independent Labour Caucus, and the 72,000-strong health union Hospersa, were set to start striking on Thursday.
Members of the SA Democratic Teachers Union and the National Health and Allied Workers Union - aligned to the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) - are staying away from work, shutting down schools in several areas countrywide.
Courts seem unable to function properly as stenographers, interpreters and clerks are also taking part in the strike.
The unions first staged a one-day warning strike last week and say the protest action that began on Wednesday is the start of an indefinite strike aimed at grinding the government to a halt.
Analysts expect a deal to be reached in the next few days at the earliest or by the start of September at the latest. Any agreement is certain to swell State spending as the government tries to bring its deficit down from 6.7 percent of gross domestic product.
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