Free State head of health Prof Pax Ramela approved the leave after it was requested by the National Education and Health Workers’€™ Union (Nehawu) in early February.

Ramela, head of the Free State Health Department, now denies that the 160 shop stewards were released to do election work for the ANC. Instead, he said that they were doing ‘€œunion work’€ but has failed to explain what ‘€œunion work’€ they were doing.  

However, the Nehawu memorandum addressed to MEC Sakhiwo Belot asking for leave for its members is explicit in its request, saying: ‘€œThe Congress of South African Trade Unions and its affiliates, NEHAWU included, took a decision to actively and practically participate in the 2009 election campaigns for a decisive victory of our glorious movement, the African National Congress.

‘€œTo achieve this, NEHAWU in particular, is tasked to facilitate and secure political release of shop-stewards to be deployed in various strategic workplaces and towns for the same purpose. It is on this basis that NEHAWU requests your office to facilitate the release of attached comrades to perform the above-mentioned task until Election Day.’€

Attached to the memo, which is in Health-e’€™s possession, are names of 160 employees from health facilities across the province ‘€“ from the Motheo district to Clocolan.  

Ramela approved NEHAWU’€™s request on 16 February   ‘€œon condition that the release is for six months whilst we evaluate the impact of service delivery; that at any given point and time 50 percent of shop-stewards are available to provide contractual obligations for the institutions; and activities must as far as possible be within the institutions’€.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance in the province has condemned the release of the 160 personnel and said it would be seeking legal advice on the matter.