The National Health Department has criticised the South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) saying it should refrain from protesting on false information.

This, after the trade union threatened to march to the department’s head offices later this month over allegedly failing in its commitment to employ doctors who have completed their statutory community service.

However, the department says although it is aware of the issue of unemployed doctors, it has never made a commitment to employ them.

Department spokesperson Foster Mohale says in terms of the National Health Act, once medical doctors complete their community service, they then become free to seek employment in workplaces of their choice.