Striking public servants will completely shut down all government services in the Western Cape by Friday, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said.

Provincial secretary Suraya Jawoodeen said Nehawu would intensify its strike action and re-mobilise all members to ensure a complete shut-down of services by Friday.

She said the Western Cape department of health was completely "overextending itself" by threatening strikers with disciplinary action.

This would have a "permanent effect" on labour relations after the strike was over, said Jawoodeen.

'No work, no pay rule still applied' Provincial health department spokesperson Faiza Steyn said she was "unaware" of plans for a complete shutdown on Friday.

The policy of the department remained that disciplinary action would be taken against striking workers, and the "no work, no pay" rule still applied.

Steyn said more health sector workers had gone back to work on Wednesday than on any other day since the strike began last Friday.

About 70 National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw)
members had picketed at Groote Schuur hospital on Wednesday, she said.

Steyn said strikers had been intimidating some working staff members at the engineering and laundry services at Tygerberg hospital, at the Khayelitsha community health centre and the Michael Mapongwana clinic in Khayelitsha.

She said personnel officers from the department were dealing with the situation at these premises.

Tygerberg hospital spokesperson Martie Carstens said that on Wednesday about 50 people had gathered at the hospital gate, and later entered the administrative building.

She said most of the staff were at work on Wednesday and that more support staff had returned to work since Tuesday.

Service at the hospital was not disrupted on Wednesday, Carstens said.

Groote Schuur hospital spokesperson Leigh Pollio said about 60 staff members had been picketing outside the hospital on Wednesday.

She said strikers had been intimidating staff who wanted to work.

"Police were called in to observe the peace," and staff members who wanted to enter the building were able to do so, she said.

Pollio said there had been some delays with processing patients and transporting patients from one section in the hospital to another, but that contingency measures were in place.

"Services are running," she said.