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Outcomes of the second DENOSA National Learner Movement meeting
Media Statement
Monday, 15 august 2016
DENOSA Learner Movement held its 2nd annual meeting of the year at DENOSA Head Office in Pretoria from 13 to 14 August where it deliberated on health issues and specifically on student nurse issues. It deliberated robustly on the following areas:
On Community Service
DENOSA Learner Movement is pleased with the recent development with regards to community service, which is a positive response to many complaints that we have documented about challenges with community service. DENOSA advocated for community service nurses unapologetically. We ensured that the online applications become centralized for community service from the National Department of Health. We are optimistic that it shall arrest all the problems related to community service such as non-absorption of nurses upon completion of community service. We call on all student nurses to full rally behind the online application system and the leadership is working on finding solutions towards ensuring that the system works perfectly. We note that certain provinces are trying by all means to ensure that the great works done to resolve problems concerning community service do not happen.
We strongly believe this online system will bring about efficiency and an end to improper planning for community service by provincial department, which DENOSA has been complaining about every year. Some of the challenges that the system needs to improve on include the inclusion of clinic posts for community service and not only provide positions for hospitals. Improving on this will also assist the country in its drive for NHI and re-engineering of primary healthcare, as clinics will also benefit from community service nurses.
On provinces’ tactic to use community service nurses as gap fillers instead of hiring nurses
We are noting with great concern the continuous trend where provincial departments solely use community service nurses to fill the gap for vacancies. Upon finishing the year of community service by nurses, the facilities often don’t absorb the community service nurses into positions, but choose to take the intake of community service nurses, despite the great need to employ more nurses as shortage keeps on growing.
We view this as an unacceptable cheap labour practice, which compromises the very same community service nurses. Community service nurses are left on their own with minimum supervision, and this exposes them to unnecessary litigation instead of learning from professional nurses in facilities. We call on the South African Nursing Council (SANC), as a regulatory body for nursing in the country, and the department of Health to look into this bad practice before quality nursing goes to the drain.
On SANC and Bogus Colleges
The prevalence of bogus nursing colleges in the country is a call for concern. We see many aspiring nurses being exploited by criminals masquerading as nursing institutions. We call on the South African Nursing Council to effect stringent measures and involve law enforcements to deal with these criminals. We believe as DENOSA Learner Movement that SANC has been too ineffective in dealing with issues affecting nurses.
The Department of Higher Education and Training should as well consult with relevant stakeholders when accrediting institutions that intend to offer higher qualifications. We call on the aspirant nurses to seek information before losing their hard earned money to pay these high fees, by checking if institutions they wish to study at is accredited with the nursing regulatory body, SANC. They can check the SANC website: www.sanc.co.za
On Women’s Month
We are meeting during the month of Women remembering the heroines of the generation of 1956 who led a march against the pass laws. We call on the current generation to strengthen the fight against patriarchy. Women remain disadvantaged even in the dawn of democracy; the nursing profession is predominantly composed of women.
On Local Government Elections
The 3rd of August 2016 the country was having its local government elections as DENOSA, we rallied our unwavering support for the African National Congress. However we not satisfied with the performance particularly in the metros. We believe that lessons will be learned, and that stock must be taken on the outcomes of these elections.
On Labour Brokers
The nursing fraternity in South Africa is highly burdened by labour brokers. It should be noted that labour brokering does not benefit the working class in all forms. Labour brokering does not create employment. Our concern is that nurses are continuously exploited through labour brokering as nurses do not have steady income. COSATU took a resolution at its congress in November to ban labour brokers, and this will have positive economic effects on nurses themselves. We reject any attempts that seek to ensure that labour brokers remain in existence via means of regulating labour brokers. We call on ANC to take workers seriously and act with urgency in banning labour brokers.
On COSATU Young Workers
DENOSA Learner Movement is happy with the steady progressive developments in COSATU Young Workers Forum. We committed ourselves to ensuring that COSATU Young Workers live to see the light of day. We are however unhappy with the resistance that we encounter from the older generation.
End
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) National Learner Movement
For more information, contact:
Tshepo Monoketsi, National Chairperson
Mobile: 0795015808
OR
Nkululeko Mapaila, National Secretary
Mobile: 0718722186
Website: www.denosa.org.za
Facebook: DENOSA National Page
Twitter: @DENOSAORG
