Over 200 unemployed nurses in North West to stage sit-in at Provincial Health Offices in Mafikeng on Monday. – COSATU

MMABATHO – Following the non-absorption of more than 200 nurses who completed their community service since June last year in the province, the unemployed nurses will be staging a sit-in at the North-West Provincial Health Department offices on Monday, 22 April 2024, to demand their immediate employment as clinics and hospitals throughout the province are buckling under pressure due to shortage of nursing staff.

The nurses will be led by the DENOSA Student Movement in the province to occupy the offices indefinitely until their plight is addressed. The provincial Department of Health has been citing budgetary constraints as the reason for the non-hiring of the nurses, many of whom were funded by the same government.

“Appointment letters were promised to the nurses before 1 April,” says DENOSA North-West Student Movement Provincial Secretary, Mothusi Lebatle.

“But that did not happen as institutions say they don’t have the budget for the 2024/25 financial year. This means colleges and universities are producing nurses for the streets, and not for clinics and hospitals anymore.”

Over and above the more than 200 nurses who are on the side of the employment line since June last year, there are about 136 nurses who have just completed the various nursing qualification programmes from early this year, while about 126 nurses will be completing their courses between May and June this year. All these will be joining the other unemployed nurses.

Members of the media are invited to the sit-in to cover.

The details of the sit-in are as follows:

DATE: Monday, 22 April 2024.

TIME: 10h00

VENUE: Provincial Department of Health Offices, Mafikeng.

CONTACT PERSON: Mothusi Lebatle, DENOSA Student Movement Provincial Secretary.

MOBILE: 067 059 3735.

End.  

Issued by DENOSA North-West Student Movement.

For more information and interview requests, contact:

Mothusi Lebatle, DENOSA Student Movement Provincial Secretary.

Mobile: 067 059 3735

Reuben Molete, DENOSA North West Provincial Secretary (mother body).

Mobile: 079 157 9897.