Police fired rubber bullets and a stun grenade and used pepper spray to disperse protesters at the Provincial Hospital in Kariega on Thursday.
The protest, organised by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), was over the redeployment of staff from the Orsmond TB Hospital.
Police were called to the scene on Thursday, the second day of rolling protests against the redeployment of staff to Provincial Hospital, after Orsmond temporarily shut its doors.
Healthcare workers, general workers and residents affected by the TB hospital’s closure have been fuming ever since the provincial health department transferred patients to Jose Pearson TB Hospital in Bethelsdorp.
It recently emerged that the department planned to repurpose Orsmond to accommodate psychiatric patients.
Staff at the TB hospital were placed at various other facilities in the city, including Provincial Hospital.
The majority of healthcare workers at Orsmond, who are opposed to the health department’s plan, called on their respective unions to intervene.
Nehawu regional spokesperson Thembisa Mtshingila said it had lodged a complaint with the department of health and that an arbitration process was set to take place at the end of March.
“They have continued with the restructuring and the redeploying process of our members after an agreement that the process would be halted.
“We engaged with the CEOs and management of Dora Nginza Hospital and the Letitia Bam Day Hospital, who have since released our members, but Provincial Hospital is refusing to budge.
“We informed them that we would protest peacefully until our demands are met, but then they called the police, who dispersed us forcefully,” she said.
Provincial Hospital chief executive Sithembele Maqgayiyana said he had held discussions with the workers’ unions and escalated the matter to the province.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said Maqgayiyana had called the police because a group of protesters were striking inside the hospital.
Swart said the group allegedly closed the hospital’s main gate, preventing vehicles from entering or leaving.
“Public Order Police ordered the group to disperse, but when they became aggressive and unruly, a stun grenade and rubber bullets were fired.”
The main gate was reopened after the protesters dispersed.
According to Swart, a complaint of public violence, control of access to public premises and intimidation was opened with police.
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