MEDIA STATEMENT
Sunday, 27 April 2025
PRETORIA – Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) held an Extended Special National Executive Committee meeting on 23-25 April 2025. The special meeting took place after a successful 9th National Congress that was held on 25-28 March 2025 in Boksburg, Gauteng.
The meeting was tasked to process the work of the congress, particularly the resolutions. The national congress established commissions to take stock and discuss the challenges that nurses are facing on daily basis while rendering the healthcare services.
The commissions came out with the resolutions that will tackle the identified challenges across the spectrum of health sector, nursing education, socio-economic, gender-based violence, political landscape and international relations.
The new term of office of four (4) years will be guided by these resolutions in addressing the
challenges facing the nursing and nurses of South Africa.
During the special meeting, the National Executive Committee (NEC) reaffirmed its position on
the nurses’ uniform. For the past few years, DENOSA has been constantly calling for the
implementation of the resolution of nurses’ uniform.
The department of health failed on two occasions, in 2023 and 2024 to implement the resolution.
On both occasions, the department stated that they were not ready for the implementation. The
implementation was then deferred to the year 2025.
Again, it is crystal clear that the department will not deliver this time around. Instead, the nurses saw pictures circulating on the social media showing what looks like the department is going provide to the nurses as “uniform”. If the circulating pictures is what the department will offer,
this is a scandal beyond the imagination.
It is extremely difficult to comprehend how the department came up with these distasteful and
eyesore “designs” that are featuring a kettle. This is nothing short of an insult and an embarrassment to the nurses of South Africa. There was no consultation with labour when these
designs were developed.
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The South African nurses always pride themselves for their work and professionalism including the dress code. These circulating pictures are by no means representing the image and standard
of our nurses.
DENOSA remains resolute and reiterate that “the department must supply nurses with uniform to restore the image and dignity of the nursing profession”.
We are informed that the “procurement” of this ugly and so-called uniform is decentralised to the
provinces which exposes it to more unscrupulous processes. The provinces are using different
service providers which defeats the same objective of “standard and uniform” supply. As a result,
some provinces are still at the initial stages or even not yet started the procurement. Some
provinces are midway while some are claiming that they are ready to supply the uniform.
Therefore, DENOSA is demanding the central manufacturing and supply of nurses’ uniform in the
same manner it is supplied to emergence medical services, correctional services, police services
and military services. If government can effectively supply the uniform to the mentioned services,
the same can be easily done for nurses.
We understand that some provinces are calling for nurses to go and provide their sizes. DENOSA
is calling for all nurses NOT TO HEED this call. Currently, we are seeking legal advice to interdict
the whole process until there is a meaningful consultation and consensus with labour.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
End
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA).
For more information, contact:
Sonia Mabunda-Kaziboni
Communications Manager
Mobile: 072 535 1577
Land Line: 012 343 2315/6
Website: www.denosa.org.za
Facebook: DENOSA
