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DENOSA Mpumalanga Provincial Learner Movement holds a successful Provincial Congress
DENOSA Mpumalanga held a successful two-day Provincial Learner Movement Congress from 28 to 29 May at the Nomndeni Lodges in Nelspruit, where new leadership was also elected.
Held under the theme: Forty voting delegates attended the congress, as well as three National Learner Movement National Office Bearers namely Chairperson Tshepo Monoketsi, Deputy Secretary Voncent Mukhari, and Organiser Nhlakanipho.
Provincial chairperson, Mzwandile Shongwe, Tshepo Monoketsi addressed the congress on the first day. Shongwe emphasised the issue of language inequality at the institutions of higher learning.
"I didn't want to talk about politics here
," he started. "I studied at the University of Pretoria for three years. During exams there, the question paper is asked in English this side, and Afrikaans this side. Well, I did English as a second language. It can't be correct that I am asked the same question in a second language to me during exams and someone is asked the same question in their first language. That can't happen in the 22 years of democracy.'
," he started. "I studied at the University of Pretoria for three years. During exams there, the question paper is asked in English this side, and Afrikaans this side. Well, I did English as a second language. It can't be correct that I am asked the same question in a second language to me during exams and someone is asked the same question in their first language. That can't happen in the 22 years of democracy.'He urged student nurses to use their voices and spearhead the fight of inequality at institutions in their lifetime. He warned students that if they don't participate in policies on the issues of language, those who are favoured by current policies will talk to the highest pitch of their voices in defence of the status quo. He warned about politics of complacency. In few elections to come, he warned that, if they are not prepared to be vocal about their issues currently, we will come to a situation where students and people will sell their votes for money even during the elections.
even during the elections.In his address, Tshepo Monoketsi touched on a number of issue. He welcomed the affiliation of Haiti into African Union, and calls on all other countries of African origin in the diaspora to also come back home to build Africa. On the destruction of institutions of higher learning, he warned student nurses in the province that the new university in Mpumalanga maybe next in line if nothing is done by those who value democracy and defending it.
He applauded the decision made by SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, not to broadcast any destruction of property as part of SABC news as that is not in line with developmental journalism. “A question needs to be asked: What has happened to us. Why do we destroy property when we don't want to belong to a certain municipality?" Swiss Replica Watches
He also talked of the scourge of Bursarisation of nursing education that is spreading to all provinces, with its negative effects felt by student nurses who have to find means of funding their own transport and often arrive late at areas of clinical practice.
He also said it is time nurses don't applaud at everything that the Minister of Health says, making his latest statement at the International Nurses Day celebration in Limpopo as an example.
nurses don't applaud at everything that the Minister of Health says, making his latest statement at the International Nurses Day celebration in Limpopo as an example. He especially said in no mixed words of the two MEC of health from Free State and North West respectively, who are doctors by profession: "MEC of Free State, who is a doctor by profession; and MEC of Health, who is also a doctor by profession; those two MECs are taking their departments to the drain!"
State and North West respectively, who are doctors by profession: "MEC of Free State, who is a doctor by profession; and MEC of Health, who is also a doctor by profession; those two MECs are taking their departments to the drain!" He urged students to become activists. "The non-absorption of community service nurses in Free State, North West and everywhere else in the country is going to affect you."
State, North West and everywhere else in the country is going to affect you." He made a call to nurses to withdraw their labour if they are forced to work overtime, and they bear the harsh consequences of shortage of nurses in the country. On the safety of nurses, he says nurses can no longer allow to work under conditions where they have guns on their heads and some have knives on their necks while working because of lack of safety.
overtime, and they bear the harsh consequences of shortage of nurses in the country. On the safety of nurses, he says nurses can no longer allow to work under conditions where they have guns on their heads and some have knives on their necks while working because of lack of safety."Remove Motsoaledi, because clearly he is not a minister of health, but minister of HIV and AIDS. We say, install a nurse there; by the way nurses are good administrators," he said.
On the second day, DENOSA National Treasurer, Cookie Nkambule, urged the delegates to dedicate themselves to their studies. “There are two things in life that you need: a goal and significance!” she said. She said education is the only way that young people could make use of to better their lives. As a nurse academic herself, she also offered to assist all those DENOSA members in the province who are still students on their studies, including studies related to psychiatry, as students of the province have to relocate to Newcastle in KZN to study the module, which pose a big challenge to them. “Before you focus on your studies, you have to first get used to the environment that you are in at the new province, and because of that you are bound to struggle academically.” she added.
use of to better their lives. As a nurse academic herself, she also offered to assist all those DENOSA members in the province who are still students on their studies, including studies related to psychiatry, as students of the province have to relocate to Newcastle in KZN to study the module, which pose a big challenge to them. “Before you focus on your studies, you have to first get used to the environment that you are in at the new province, and because of that you are bound to struggle academically.” she added.Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) Provincial Secretary, Tinyiko Ntini, said he sympathized with the plight of nurses, characterized by severe staff shortages and high burnout. "As YCLSA, we are driving a programme that calls for reopening of nursing colleges. These colleges were closed by our own government,” he said.
"Nurses find themselves in a quagmire whereby, because of their low wages, they can't afford to have bonds for houses, and yet they can't benefit from RDP houses.”
He committed to supporting the structure in the province. We must commit as YCLSA that we are available to provide political educations, as discussed here, and we will work closely with the new leadership."
, and we will work closely with the new leadership." The new leadership was elected, with the positions of Provincial Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson contested while those of secretary, deputy secretary and organiser were uncontested. Previous chairperson Khulani Sibila retained his position, while former Deputy Secretary, Thabani, was uncotested in the position of Secretary. Chairperson Silabi called on all students to rally behind the organisation and the new leadership and for different groups to decampaign the lobbying and unite behind the leadership.
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