The year 2017 marks 30 years since the establishment of the National Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU], which was first launched in June, 1987. This is an important milestone in the history of this giant public sector union.
Throughout the 30 years of our existence, we have grown into a very strong union that is preoccupied with the transformation of the public sector and the struggle to end exploitation, outsourcing and the oppression of one class by another.
The celebrations started on the 28th June 2017, during our 11th National Congress. In celebrating this important milestone the union took the decision to convene anniversary celebrations in all the nine Provinces. The celebrations are in the form of a lecture on the history of the union, especially the role played by the union in both international and domestic workers struggles, the growth of the union throughout the years and victories won fighting side by side with workers for a living wage and better working conditions.
Gauteng kicked off the celebrations on the 11th August at the Ipelegeng Community Centre in Soweto. This is the same place where our union was launched in June, 1987. Free State was next on the 22nd August 2017 to host the celebrations at the Makabelane Technical & Commercial High School in QwaQwa and was followed by KwaZulu-Natal on the 1st September 2017 who hosted their celebrations in Pietermaritzburg at Grey’s hospital.
Limpopo is currently having its celebrations (15th September 2017) on the 30th anniversary celebrations at the University of Limpopo, which will be followed by North West on the 22nd September 2017, followed by Mpumalanga on the 29th September 2017, followed by Northern Cape on the 6th October 2017, followed by Eastern Cape on the 13th October 2017 and Western Cape will close the celebration by hosting their chapter of the celebrations on the 20th October 2017.