Despite a nearly R11bn funding gap, the Gauteng health department says it will reverse the remuneration scales of forensic pathology assistants to the levels they were before 2010, in order to have mortuary workers back on the job. About 180 forensic assistants went on strike in June, claiming they were underpaid and doing work they were not qualified for. The Department of Justice and the South African Police Services relies on their pathology services for certain cases. Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa conceded in May that the R40.2bn budget was inadequate to cover requirements, largely due to substantial debt burden consisting of money owed to suppliers and legal cases against it. But after threatening striking workers with letters warning them that a failure to return to work would result in their dismissal, Ramakgopa announced the department has conceded to workers’ demands for a better wage deal. Ramakgopa said her department would at the end of July reverse the remuneration ...
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