"It was not a strike, just a two-day picket line mainly related to their performance bonuses," spokeswoman Sinenhlanhla Gumede said.

The nurses had been picketing during lunch hours.

"The department will respond formally, in writing, to the workers on how their issues will be resolved. Their demands are not unreasonable, but it seems there might have been a lack of communication about their bonuses.

"They were already approved for payment in November, after the completion of the annual review process."

Gumede said the action came as a surprise since the nurses had started picketing without exhausting all the usual channels first.