The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in KwaZulu-Natal will on 31 July 2026 submit a Memorandum of Demands to the National Health Laboratory Service [NHLS] at Prince Mshiyeni Laboratory.

The submission marks the beginning of a broader and more sustained campaign by NEHAWU against what the union regards as the escalating assault on the rights, dignity and livelihoods of workers across various NHLS laboratories in the province. This campaign follows a resolution of the recently held Provincial Executive Committee [PEC] meeting, which resolved that the union must intensify its organisational and workplace interventions in defence of NHLS workers.

NEHAWU is deeply concerned about the growing number of dismissals at NHLS and the manner in which disciplinary processes are being utilised against workers and recognised shop stewards. The alarming rate at which employees are being subjected to disciplinary action and dismissal raises serious questions about the state of labour relations within the institution and the commitment of NHLS management to fair, constructive and meaningful engagement with organised labour.

The union is particularly concerned that, despite repeated attempts to engage management and resolve workplace challenges through established labour-relations structures, many issues affecting employees remain unresolved. NEHAWU, will therefore not remain passive while workers are subjected to what it considers to be intimidation, unfair treatment, arbitrary disciplinary action and attacks on their organisational rights.

The memorandum at Prince Mshiyeni Laboratory is intended to place these concerns formally before NHLS management and to demand urgent intervention on matters affecting workers at the institution. It is also part of NEHAWU’s broader campaign to expose and challenge practices that undermine workers’ rights and weaken collective organization within the workplace. 

Our program is planned as follows:

• Date: 31 July 2026

• Venue: NHLS Prince Mshiyeni Hospital

• Time: 12h00

The union will continue to utilise every appropriate avenue available to protect its members and recognised shop stewards and to demand accountability from the employer. The union remains relentless and uncompromising in its defence of workers’ rights, dignity and organisational freedoms. We will not be intimidated, silenced or threatened by NHLS management or any individual when exercising our legitimate responsibility to represent and defend our members.

END

Issued by NEHAWU KwaZulu-Natal Secretariat Office

For more information, please contact: Ayanda Zulu (Provincial Secretary) at 081 758 5199 or email: Ayandaz@nehawu.org.za or Ntokozo Nxumalo (Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 0815255983 or email: Ntokozo@Nehawu.org.za