Freedom Advocacy Network
Media Statement
7 March 2022
FAN celebrates successful pressure campaign on government to pay medical interns – vows to continue fight for #FreedomToEARN
The Freedom Advocacy Network (FAN) shares the relief and joy of several medical interns employed by the Gauteng Department of Health who’ve finally received their salaries from government after FAN’s threat of legal action to achieve this end.
Says Hermann Pretorius of FAN: “South Africans know that, when the chips are down, they can rely on each other and entities like FAN to join them in the fight. FAN is proud to have played our part in swiftly and effectively generating pressure on the government to do the right thing and stop its abuse of these young South Africans. This victory for the #FreedomToEARN is satisfying, but there are many other challenges and fights where FAN will get involved to get this sort of result.”
Upon learning last week from media reports of the shameful failure of government to pay the medical interns of Gauteng Department of Health for hard work, FAN had instructed its legal team to consult with interns and send a letter of demand to the Department to ensure the interns, and others in their position, did not stand alone. FAN and its lawyers had reached out to the medical intern community in South Africa, gathering the details of young people similarly affected by government failure.
Said Pretorius further: “We are glad that these actions were sufficient to get the right result. Should further action be necessary in this instance, FAN will not hesitate to get involved. For now, we’re grateful and we set our sets on the next opportunity to fight for the #FreedomToEARN.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
Tiego Thotse
FAN Operations and Advocacy Manager
Cell: +27 68 092 3035
Hermann Pretorius
FAN Managing Director
Cell: +27 79 875 4290
