Denosa demands jobs for nurses whose contracts ended
DISGRUNTLED Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) provincial leaders staged a sit-in outside provincial health offices yesterday demanding the employment of more than 100 community service practitioners whose contracts ended in January.
The nurses completed their community service programme at various healthcare facilities in the Western Cape, and despite battling Covid-19 alongside their colleagues, they were let go and face unemployment, Denosa said.
“We, as the Denosa Student Movement in the Western Cape, contacted the Department of Health prior to the completion date and were informed that 109 posts were reserved for community service practitioner nurses dependent on funds’ availability.
“To date, only 11 posts have been filled according to our understanding, while 119 newly qualified nurses are unemployed and remain at home,” Denosa said in a statement yesterday.
A nurse who requested that their name not to be used for fear of victimisation, told the Cape Times yesterday that they were disappointed with the way the Department of Health has treated them.
“Currently my colleagues and I do not have jobs, we worked very hard since varsity and we have tried our level best to do what we can.
“It was not easy for us (during the pandemic), but we worked through the challenges faced.
“Even in hospitals, you can see the necessity of nurses but they are not being employed.
“Nurses are available, they are qualified and trained in their hospitals yet they are not employed and this we don’t understand.”
Denosa handed over a petition and a memorandum to the provincial department, demanding it absorb community service nurses in permanent positions and provide job security.
Provincial Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said they have previously communicated to the body, and will again study their memorandum and give them feedback.
“The department has appointed community service nurses on contract during the second wave of Covid-19.
“The community service nurses were however only available after completion of their community service and appointments could not be done before February 1, 2021.
“According to our information, as at January 26, a total of 104 posts have been reserved on perusal for professional nurses completing community service on January 31, 2021.
“Further information will be available once the recruitment and selection processes have been finalised and the appointment on perusal has been implemented.
“We are mindful that limited funding is available and only vacant funded posts can be filled on a permanent basis, but these are continuously monitored,” he said.