Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa

Media statement  

Monday  17 May 2021

 

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal held its first meeting in 202, which was held between 13 and 14 May 2021 at the Edward Hotel in Durban, and deliberated on the following critical issues:

 

1. INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY.

 

The PEC noted that DENOSA as a member of International council of nurses (ICN) is the only union in SA to celebrate International nurses day.

 

The PEC noted the wonderful work that has been done by nurses throughout the province during this whole pandemic in ensuring that KwaZulu-Natal citizens are safe.

 

The PEC resolved that all its members must receive gifts for International Nurses Day to honour them and this must be done in May 2021.

 

2. MARYLIN* *LAHANA AWARD. 

 

The PEC noted that every year in DENOSA, this award is given to one nurse who excelled in her duties.

 

The PEC believes that, as the year 2020 was declared the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife and there was an outbreak of Coronavirus, therefore it was the relevant year to give this award since Marilyn Lahana also died from contracting Ebola, which is an infectious disease like Covid 19. Therefore all nurses are Marilyn Lahanas during this period of the pandemic, hence the PEC felt that all nurses deserve to get this award for having managed to deal with the pandemic and saved 95% of the population that got infected with COVID-19. 

 

The PEC resolved that they will be engaging the NEC to ensure that every nurse in this province receives the Marilyn Lahana Award. 

 

3. VACCINE ROLL OUT 

 

The PEC noted with concern the slow pace of the vaccination programme and challenges faced by the nurses due the lack of dedicated staff to do this project. 

 

According to the plan, the vaccination of staff was supposed to be concluded by Friday the 14th of May 2021. However, it doesn't look like this will happen. 

 

The PEC noted the stampede which occurred at St Augustine Hospital due to poor planning and pledged its support to the department in coming up with better strategies to prevent this from happening again. 

 

The PEC believes that the only solution to this problem is employment of staff that will be dedicated to doing  vaccinations only.

 

4. DISPLACEMENT OF STAFF .

 

The PEC noted with concern that in many institutions, the department has displaced managers to other institutions, leaving a gap in their institutions. This has resulted to the severe shortage of staff as well as exploitation of our members where they are made to act in those posts without any remuneration. 

 

The PEC resolved on starting discussions with the department to put the policy in place to manage these displacements.

 

It further resolved to inform its members to refuse to act in positions without an official appointment in writing. 

 

5  PROFESSIONAL MATTERS. 

 

The PEC noted the slow pace of implementing the new curriculum and the minimum number of quotas for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which has resulted to slow development of nurses.

 

It further noted the closure of private nursing colleges which has negative impact on the training of nurses and production of these cadres to the country's healthcare system. 

 

The PEC resolved to continue engaging the department in assisting the private colleges to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as well as getting the number of intakes per annum increased at least to three groups.

 

The PEC further noted the gap that exists in managers in understanding the relevant prescriptions such as BCEA, LRA, OCHSA and others. This has a negative impact on maintenance of labour peace in the workplace.

 

The PEC resolved to revive the symposiums that were started with the department to develop nurses.

 

The PEC noted that, as a province, we have not implemented the Nursing Now campaign and Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

 

The PEC resolved that they will be visiting schools as part of its nursing now campaign, in promoting nursing as a profession since the world nursing report predicted that by year 2030 there will be more than 9 million shortage of nurses. Therefore, this visit will assist to promote nursing as a career of choice and will assist in educating learners on important health issues like prevention of teenage pregnancy and HIV.

 

6. SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES.

 

The PEC noted with concern that nurses have not had their salary increase since 2019.

 

They further noted the fuel and food increases that has affected it's members.

 

They further appreciated the work that is being done by it's negotiators in trying to find solutions. 

 

The PEC resolved that the facilitation process must continue. If the process fails, processes of conciliation and arbitration must start in preparation for a strike which the PEC believe the minister of Public Service and Administration, Senzo Mchunu and Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, are responsible for pushing workers to this strike by failing to budget for salary increases which could assist nurses to cope with food and fuel hikes.

 

 7. UNIFORM ALLOWANCE.

 

The PEC noted with concern the continuous failure by the department to implement resolution 1 of 2005  clause 4.1 which states that there should be  provision of uniform allowance to all categories of nurses every year.

 

The department is supposed to pay nurses this allowance at the beginning of each financial year, but without fail DENOSA has noted that the department has consistently failed to implement this resolution timeously. 

 

The PEC therefore resolved that, as from today the 17th of May 2021, nurses will not wear uniform until they are paid their allowance. 

 

8. POLITICAL MATTERS.  

 

The PEC noted with disappointment what is happening within the ANC at national level.

 

The PEC deliberated at length the issue of the alliance and the role of each partner within the alliance. 

 

The PEC voiced its disappointment in the NEC of the ANC for failing to advocate for nurses that they get the salary increase and that resolution of 1 of 2018 is implemented. 

 

The PEC is mostly disappointed because over the years DENOSA has been urging its members to support the ANC and, therefore, they thought the ANC will do the same when the same nurses need support.

 

The PEC resolved that there is a need to assess the relevance of the ANC in the alliance.

 

The PEC reaffirmed its position to remain in Cosatu and that it still sees Cosatu as a relevant Federation for nurses. The PEC urges its members, however, to participate in Cosatu locals in order to influence all decisions taken to be favourable to nurses. 

 

End.    

 

Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal.  

 

For Enquiries, Contact: 

 

Provincial Secretary in KwaZulu-Natal, Mandla Shabangu.

 

Mobile: 0725531636/ 0716433369