Workers’ protest puts the brakes on Mpolweni Clinic construction

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24-04-2026
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The Witness
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In a statement, uMshwathi Municipality said they held an urgent meeting last week in an effort to resolve the dispute.

A protest by workers has brought construction of the Mpolweni Clinic to a standstill, raising fears of further delays to the R69,5 million healthcare project in uMshwathi Municipality.

The project has faced delays since March after workers downed tools, citing inadequate wages and demanding a review of pay rates, which they say do not reflect the labour-intensive nature of the work or the rising cost of living.

Speaking to The Witness, they said they had raised their grievances for months without response.

On previous projects in the municipality, workers earned about R380 a day. Now, on a project worth over R60 million, which is funded by the provincial government, we are earning R15 per hour.

“That is not fair and we demand that this be reviewed,” they said.

“We have raised our frustrations many times, but no one listens. Our contracts are unclear, some say we are under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), others say we are on a learnership, yet we contribute to the Unemployment Insurance Fund with the little we earn.”

In a statement, uMshwathi Municipality said they held an urgent meeting last week in an effort to resolve the dispute.

Held in the municipal boardroom, the meeting was attended by municipal officials, representatives from the Department of Health, the project contractor, and members of the Mpolweni oversight committee.

According to the municipality, the meeting ended with a directive for the contractor and the Department of Health to review the project budget and current wage framework.

They were given until last Friday to present a formal proposal on possible wage increases.

However, at the time of publication, no update had been received from the municipality on the outcome.

The outcome of the process is expected to determine whether construction resumes or faces prolonged delays.

If an agreement is reached, workers are expected to return to site immediately.

Failure to resolve the dispute could see the project stalled, dealing a blow to residents who have long awaited improved healthcare services in the area.

In April 2024, KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane led the sod-turning ceremony marking the official start of construction.

The clinic was initially expected to be completed within 18 months, but the project is now overdue.

Currently, residents rely on a mobile clinic that visits only four times a month and serves more than 15 000 people.

The nearest fixed healthcare facility, Cramond Clinic, is about 15km away.

For more serious cases, residents must travel to Northdale Hospital, approximately 26km away, or Appelsbosch Hospital, about 63,5km from the area.

Workers have vowed to continue with the protest until their concerns, including wages and contract conditions, are addressed.

The Department of Health had also not responded by the time of publication.