The South African National Education Health & Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), South Africa’s main healthcare workers’ union, filed court papers against the Minister of Health and Department of Health Tuesday over a lack of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993. NEHAWU claims that the Department of Health is failing to provide healthcare workers with necessary protective gear against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A press release from NEHAWU indicates that the papers were filed “after many unsuccessful attempts to engage [the Minister of Health] and his department,” and notes that court action was the group’s only possible recourse.

This move comes after NEHAWU sent a letter of demand to South African State Attorney Zweli Mkhize on March 30, in which the group stated that “NEHAWU members as well as other workers […] are to date still highly exposed to occupational risk in which they are forced to work without the necessary Personal Protective Equipment.” Reuters reports that many South African healthcare workers have resorted to buying their own protective equipment.

Mkhize annouced Tuesday that 66 people had tested positive for COVID-19 at a single hospital in the city of Durban—mostly staff.

In March healthcare workers in neighboring Zimbabwe successfully conducted a strike in favor of more protective equipment for doctors and nurses. Now, NEHAWU hopes to secure the same rights for South African healthcare workers.

According to NEHAWU’s press release, the South African Ministry of Health has yet to respond in court.

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