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Outcomes of DENOSA Learner Movement meeting
Media statement
Monday, 09 March 2015
National Learner Movement held its first meeting of the year from Saturday the 7th to 8th March 2015 at DENOSA Head Office in Pretoria, where it deliberated on a number of pertinent points around education and practice environment for student nurses. As young people within the nursing profession, it is expected of us to have robust debates in the name of advancement of the interests of the student nurses and the nursing profession at large.
The meeting resolved on the following key points:
On shortage of lecturers
The structure is disturbed by the ongoing shortage of lecturers at various nursing colleges throughout the country. This challenge has been going on for a long time and affects the quality of nurses produced by an environment marred by shortage of lecturers. The shortage of lecturers occurs at the time when the country is in great need of more nurses and at the time when colleges and universities should be increasing the intake of students as a way of addressing this shortage.
We call upon the National Department of Health to look into this matter urgently, as well as expedite the revitalization of nursing colleges and improvement of nurses’ residences. Furthermore, we call for the strengthening of clinical teaching departments in hospitals so that students become fully-fledged nurse cadres that provide valuable solution to the country’s ongoing health challenges.
On Practices disregarding the role of DENOSA Learner Movement at institutional level
The nursing profession is a complex field which has its own unique traits; the role of DENOSA is to advocate for the advancement and development of the profession besides being a trade union. DENOSA Learner Movement has an added duty to play in student governance and institutions are to recognize us as such. We are aware of inroads taken to demobilise DENOSA Learner Movement from operating at institutional level and such practices contravene the constitutional rights of student nurses to freedom of association. We are aware of practices done by certain lecturers from rival unions who want to ensure that students do not join DENOSA but their unions. We view this matter as serious, as it contravention of the right to freedom of association that every South African is entitled to as per the Constitution of the country.
On COSATU Youth Forum
We previously acknowledged the fact that COSATU as the federation does not have a youth forum of its own. Also many other affiliates still do not have youth structures. We have made efforts to ensure the establishment of COSATU Youth Forum. We therefore call for COSATU to assist in establishing youth formations of other affiliates and also of COSATU. The issues of young people are complex and unique which are better understood by young people, hence the urgency of the need to establish a specific platform for the youth.
We acknowledge the internal politics and divisions that have manifested in COSATU. DENOSA Learner Movement holds a belief that young people should be united and serve as the only hope for the resuscitation of COSATU. We further call on all youth formations existing within COSATU to join DENOSA Learner Movement in ensuring that COSATU Youth Forum lives and exists. As young people, let us focus on advancing the interests of the working class, the poor and primarily young people who are at the receiving end of the suffering.
On Community Service
We have witnessed the problems faced by community professional nurses and as the organisation we believe that the community service policy is wrongfully implemented. The nursing act of 2005 section 40 clearly outlines community service and what informs its existence, and the importance thereof. In Free State, community professional nurses are sitting at home and unemployed, while the community needs them. We further call on the provincial departments to adapt to technological advancements in order to complement developments from SANC i.e. e-register.
On inefficiencies from SANC
We acknowledge the inefficiencies that exist within South African Nursing Council (SANC) that causes delays, which have disadvantaged student nurses and nurses at large. We are to compile a package of all inefficiencies experienced though we have positioned ourselves on the prospect of having the regulatory body being decentralised to ensure that all provinces receive a fair and similar services. We believe that SANC remains a critical component of the nursing profession, thus we want to engage the regulatory body as to how best we can assist to address the inefficiencies.
On COSATU Developments
We applaud and rally behind DENOSA leadership for following the mandate given by members of DENOSA at reconvened the 7th National Congress held in January 2015. DENOSA is a member-driven organisation and members mandated the leadership on how to tackle COSATU politics. COSATU is our home and we do not want to leave COSATU.
Our primary role as nurses is to save lives, thus the value we want to add is that of resuscitating COSATU from a state it finds itself. We further re-affirm our call for the reinstatement of NUMSA as a matter of urgency. We still believe that the delaying of a COSATU Special National Congress compounds the challenges in COSATU, and that holding the Special National Congress as a matter of urgency will bring forth unity in the federation.
On unilateral Policy Changes
We are aware of some institutions implementing policies and regulations without consultation with students as stakeholders. These policies impede the academic progress of students, thus leaving students frustrated academically. We resolved on embarking on campaigns to capacitate our leaders in respective institutions countrywide to enable them to deal with such practices which are detrimental to students. We urge our institutions to make proper and thorough consultations with students during policy formulation processes.
On funding Model
As DENOSA Learner Movement, we made our call clear on the preferred funding model for student nurses across the country, which is PERSAL system with full benefits as opposed to the bursary system which is fraught with increasing challenges in provinces where it is implemented. We will embark on campaigns and lobby strategic partners with the view of implementing such a funding model to student nurses. Students provide services which is similar to other nursing personnel within the health system.
According to Labour Relations Act, our line of march in providing service to the community is of employees, thus we want PERSAL with full benefits. Students are exposed to same conditions including dangers as employees while we are not covered by the Compensation of Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).
We also call for the same for student nurses at universities, so they could enjoy the same benefits as the students at nursing colleges, because they don’t get the same benefits currently.
On International Relations
As the structure sat at the time of Israel Apartheid Week (IAW), the DENOSA Learner Movement will forge working relations with nursing organisations in neighbouring countries, the continent and outside of Africa. We believe the development of the nursing profession in Africa will benefit the working class and the poor who are deprived of proper access to quality health care. We are supporting the struggle of the Palestinians during these difficult times which they are going through. We will be joining the organisations that are boycotting the Israel products within the market.
End
Issued by the DENOSA National Learner Movement
For more information, contact:
Nkululeko Mapaila, DENOSA National Learner Movement Secretary
Mobile: 060 572 9363
Email: nkululekomapaila@gmail.com
Or
Tshepo Monoketsi, DENOSA National Learner Movement Chairperson
Mobile: 079 501 5808
Email: monoketsi.tshepo@yahoo.com
Website: www.denosa.org.za
Facebook: DENOSA National Page
Twitter: @DENOSAORG
