The South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) has undertaken to continue fighting for the plight of the young people, particularly unemployed healthcare professionals.
The union, which is an affiliate to the congress of the South African trade unions (COSATU) took to the streets on Thursday to protest against the staggering level of youth unemployment in the country.
Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, SAMATU’s First Deputy President Dr. Nkateko Mnisi said that as much as the union organises medical professionals it has realised that the pervasiveness of youth unemployment across occupational roles is a critical issue deserving a unified, collective response from all sectors of society.
“We are not working in silos, we have support from different unions, from different sectors including our counterparts in the healthcare sector as well as from our fellow COSATU affiliates who march alongside us today to the union buildings in Pretoria.
Youth unemployment affects us all hence the call for unity,” said Dr. Mnisi.
SAMATU has raised concern that over 70% of the young people aged between 15 and 24 are unemployed with some having lost interest in finding jobs – discouraged job seekers.
“It is SAMATU’s belief that the escalating crisis of youth unemployment not only threatens the lives of young people but the stability and economic growth of the entire nation. It is for this reason that the union has decided not to gaze and only spotlight unemployment in its sector, but to draw the government’s attention to this ticking time bomb,” highlighted Dr. Mnisi.
Furthermore, Mnisi said that they have previously marched to the Department of Health in various provinces as well as to the office of the Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi last year.
“We then through those marches realised that many of the Doctors post that were not advertised were due to economic or financial matters hence our march was directed to the Minister of Finance, and we then received his commitment through his budget speech that plans are afoot to deal with the matter of unemployed Doctors and other healthcare professionals,” remarked Dr Mnisi.
According the SAMATU, their next action plan will be determined by the response from the President in the stipulated time frame outlined in their memorandum of demands that they handed over today.
“We are not currently planning any further protests, but much of our action plan to go forward will depend on the response from this memorandum.
We are hoping to hear from the Presidency within 14-working days after which we will be able to speak about our following steps.
We are doing this in conjunction with those that have been in solidarity with us, and we also call on others to join this plight which we are trying to push forward,” concluded Dr. Mnisi
