Nehawu members march to KZN legislature: 'We are prepared to fight'

This is where Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni tabled the provincial budget for the new financial year.

Workers marched to the legislature to hand over a memorandum of demands to Nkonyeni.

Nehawu is among public sector unions that have rejected the three percent wage increase that the government has implemented and demand 10 percent.

Members of the health union downed tools on Monday, a strike that has disrupted health services at hospitals and clinics around the country and has been marred by intimidation and violence.

Government was granted an interdict against the action on Saturday, but Nehawu's lawyers filed papers for leave to appeal. 

The Labour Court is hearing that matter on Friday.

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Nehawu's Mazwi Ngubane says workers are standing firm on their demands.

"There are so many outstanding grievances that we have submitted before and we need answers for those outstanding grievances. 

Government must pay workers what is due to them and this march is also about alternative measures that have been posed by government, especially here in KZN. We know there are so many vacant posts in different departments. We want those posts to be filled."  

Ngubane says the union is unfazed by President Cyril Ramaphosa's remarks in Parliament on Thursday that the no work, no pay rule applies during the strike.

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"We were angered by the speech from the president and also minister Phaahla because we don't want to be reminded about 'no work, no pay', that is a kind of intimidation to our members. 

"We understand 'no work, no pay'. It is our right. This is a legal strike. They are just provoking us. We will continue until they agree to what we want. The cost of living is very high at the moment, that is why we are prepared to fight."