Pretoria - Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, will later today roll up his sleeves and volunteer at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, were employees have downed tools in the national public service strike.
The hospital has been one of the worst-affected by the strike which is in its third day.
The minister is a trained medical doctor and will be working in the hospital's casualty ward, along with a team of qualified health workers from his department, including doctors, pharmacists and nurses.
The department's Director General, Precious Matsoso, who is a trained pharmacist, will also be there to provide healthcare services.
Members of the public have been urged to help out at hospitals to ensure patients are attended to. In some areas, the South African Military Health Services have been called in to assist.
Earlier this week the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development said contingency measures during the strike would include deploying administration staff from central and regional offices to assist at the worst affected clinics and hospitals.
Strike committees have also been established in all hospitals to evaluate the situation regularly and call for assistance when necessary.
All hospitals and clinics will remain open for the duration of the strike and the department would closely monitor the impact of the industrial action.
