Nurses want MEC axed, collapsing system fixed
A GROUP of nurses marched to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature yesterday, calling for an intervention in the “collapsing” health system and for the Health MEC to be axed.
The march was organised by the newly formed KwaZulu-Natal United Nurses Forum and proceeded through Pietermaritzburg CBD yesterday.
Forum organiser Bhekithemba Gumbi said they were calling for Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo to be axed for presiding over a “failing system” and forcing nurses to work under deplorable conditions.
Among the grievances listed in the forum’s memorandum was for the dire staff shortages to be addressed and for a database of unemployed nurses in the province to be set up. “We need an acceptable nurse to patient ratio,” said Gumbi.
The forum also called for private nursing colleges to be shut down. Nursing should rather be moved to Further Education and Training(FET) institutions so students would be able to obtain funding. They also want the training of nursing assistants and staff nurses to be a four-year course with recognition of prior learning.
Once qualified, nurses have to travel to Pretoria to register with the SA Nursing Council (SANC) and the renewal of this registration is also centralised to this office.
The forum demanded the SANC establish offices in the province and that registration with the statutory body not be a requirement for employment because unemployed nurses cannot afford the fees.
In response to the demands, Health department spokesperson Ncumisa Mafunda said: “The department has established procedures in place that need to be followed regarding internal matters between employer and employee. The department has a good working relationship with official labour unions,” Mafunda said.
One of the unions is the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa).
Denosa provincial secretary Mandla Shabangu said: “As Denosa we are not in disagreement with their grievances (raised by the forum) but some issues they are raising we have documented progress reports from our discussions with the department.”
Shabangu said Denosa would only march to a government structure when it has exhausted processes of engagement with the department.
“It is premature to leave the table where these matters are being discussed and jump to the legislature or the premier seeking intervention. We are in agreement with the department, the only thing left is the procedure,” he said. He said marching to the legislature was misguided on some issues as it did not have the power to deal with them.
The issue of SANC fell under the auspices of the Health Ministry but Denosa was also in talks to make registration easier, he said.
On Dhlomo’s leadership Shabangu said Denosa felt nurses’ grievances were not taken seriously. “He keeps saying nurses are the backbone of the health system but he does not prioritise nurses.”
Legislature spokesperson Wonder Hlongwa said the memorandum would be forwarded to the premier .