Pretoria- The Labour Court granted government an interdict on Saturday prohibiting those employed in essential services from participating in the public servants strike.
The interdict also aims to prevent workers from participating in unlawful acts such as intimidation, assault, victimization of non-striking workers and members of the public including patients at hospitals and scholars and teachers at school. It also aims to prevent damage to property belonging to the state and the erection of obstructions or barricades to any state property.
The interdict comes after an interdict granted to the Gauteng provincial government on Friday.
Dedicated courts have already been set up to deal with cases of transgressions related to the strike.
In a statement, government spokesperson Themba Maseko, said it was unreasonable to expect government not to act to protect the rights of other citizens, adding that anyone who commits any acts of criminality during the strike, will be prosecuted.
"The country has witnessed unacceptable behaviour such as the disruption of schools, prevention of medical staff from performing essential health treatment of desperately ill patients, prevention of citizens from accessing hospitals and clinics, intimidation and assault of learners who were trying to continue with their studies," said Maseko.
He said while government acknowledges the right of public servants and other works to withdraw their labour as a result of a wage dispute, the conduct of some of the striking workers was unacceptable and undermines the rights of South African citizens who are not part of the strike.
"Government calls on union leaders to impress upon their members that while they have the right to strike, they also have the responsibility to ensure that the rights of citizens are respected at all times. The union leaders have a responsibility to educate their members about the need to restrain themselves during strikes and not to embark on illegal activities," he said.
