MORE than 300 surgical and intensive care unit patients have been transferred to private facilities in KwaZulu-Natal at an estimated cost of R1 million.

This was said by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize during a special sitting of the legislature in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

The special meeting was convened to reflect on the ongoing strike by public sector unions.

"The most worrying development in the 16 years of liberation is that law-abiding citizens and the most vulnerable members of our society, who try to access public health institutions, have been subjected to wholesale lawlessness and threats," Mkhize said.

He said wage negotiations were under way and dissatisfaction was expressed in July by organised labour, culminating in the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) commencing with picketing on July 29.

This was followed by a notice to strike by Cosatu-affiliated unions, leading to a full-blown strike on August 10. In the interim, however, these unions also joined the PSA with a view to mobilising for the strike.

Thirteen unions have since embarked on a strike.

"The industrial action we have witnessed in the past week has shown extreme callousness and inhuman actions, unexpected in our country in this day and age, such as attacks on nurses and doctors and patients, withholding of foodfor patients, sabotaging the operations of the health services in various ways," Mkhize said.

The impact of the strike on health facilities:

• Threats, intimidation and violent attacks by union members on staff at hospitals;
•  Disruptions of the provision of ARVs to critical patients at hospitals and clinics;
•  Blocking entrances to health facilities;
•  King Edward Hospital workers were removed from the institution;
•  At Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital a staff member's car was burnt to ashes and a nurse sustained a head injury;
•  There has been a complete shutdown of mortuaries in eThekwini since the strike started.