22 Feb 2021

A total of 504 nurses were re-employed out of the 898 who were dismissed during the 2011 public service strike. Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said the 504 were re-employed subject to the provisions of Section 18 of the Public Service Act No. 30 of 2008.

Mr Morwaeng also clarified that there was a difference between reinstatement and re-employment, noting that with reinstatement the employer treated the employee as if they were never dismissed, and that they resumed employment on the same terms and conditions of employment that prevailed at the time of their dismissal.

On re-employment, the minister said the employee started a new contract with new terms and conditions of employment. “Nurses who were dismissed were paid their terminal benefits after dismissal from the public service.

There were no arrears of benefits that they accrued during the period that they were not at work.

This is due to the fact that the employees were re-employed on a new contract which is totally different from the one prior to their dismissal,” he stated.

The MP for Molepolole North, Mr Oabile Regoeng had asked the minister to state the number of nurses who lost their jobs as a result of the 2011 public service strike. He also wanted to know how many were reinstated to date, and if they got what accrued to them during the period they were not at work, and if not, why that was so. ENDS