Press statement: LHR appalled by arrest of over 100 community healthcare workers and TAC members

Lawyers for Human Rights is appalled by the arrest of over 100 community healthcare workers and Treatment Action Campaign members during the start of a peaceful campaign of civil disobedience in the Free State to demand that Health MEC Benny Malakoane be removed from his position given the desperate state of the health system in that province.

More concerning is the violence shown by SAPS during the arrests that saw TAC leader Macobane Morake being punched in the face and elderly members of the group being forced into police vans. They were also not informed of the charges against them for several hours.

The arrests followed a night vigil at Bophelo House – the head office of the Free State Health Department. The peaceful protest action followed several unsuccessful attempts by the TAC to meet with the MEC to discuss workers’ that were relieved of their duties without notice.

A fact-finding mission by the TAC uncovered that a healthcare moratorium had been established in the province with massive stock-outs, shortages and system collapse. This is even more worrying given an article in the Mail & Guardian newspaper this morning (Friday), revealing that the provincial department was on the verge of collapse as it grapples with a R700-million debt (http://mg.co.za/article/2014-07-11-free-state-health-under-treasury-care).

Lawyers for Human Rights calls for the immediate release of protestors and TAC members and for swift action to be taken against officers involved in the use of excessive force.

You can follow the TAC’s Twitter feed for live updates @TAC  #FSHealthCrisis