TENSION is palpable at several Durban health facilities after two people involved in the campaign against outsourcing were shot dead on Wednesday.The fight against outsourcing gained traction at the end of last year as part of the #FeesMustFall campaign by university students.Since June hundreds of outsourced security guards, cleaners and kitchen staff have been staging pickets at several Durban hospitals, including King Edward, Inkosi Albert Luthuli, King Dinuzulu and Wentworth.Among their claims is that contractors receive up to R9,000 per individual worker from the government for their services but workers are only paid R2,000 per month.Their main demand is to be employed directly by the government. They accuse contractors of abuse and of not adhering to labour laws.The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health has responded by locking out these workers and urging them to speak to their employers. The department has also strengthened security at the affected hospitals.Police said ...
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