Pretoria - The Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (Haitu) has reacted angrily to the interim interdict to stop the student nurses’ protests that the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg granted to the Gauteng Department of Health.
“We say ‘voetsek’ to the Gauteng MEC (Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko) for abusing the courts, in order to run away from her responsibilities towards R171 (curriculum) students,” said Haitu provincial chairperson Bafana Tshabalala.
“The anger of students is justifiable. The department abruptly informed student nurses that their contracts come to an end on the 31st of May. These are students who will be the first cohort and finalists of the R171 curriculum, and there are no plans in place to support these students until they sit for board exams in November.”
Tshabalala said Haitu had been in talks with some officials in the department of health and had sent the department emails about the issues.
“We have also participated in marches and protests with the students, in the hope that we can find a solution to this crisis which would benefit both parties. It is clear that the MEC does not want to give us an audience and has now resorted to using her power and political influence to intimidate students through the courts,” he said.
“We believe the demands that students are making are reasonable. We do not believe the department is being truthful when they claim that to retain 167 students, would cost R77 million.
“It is our view that they only need approximately R10m for this group, and this money should be able to carry them until they can sit for board exams and end up being registered practitioners, like their bursary contract states.”
Haitu said it would challenge the court interdict.
“We will be applying for a court interdict against the MEC of Health in Gauteng, Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko, to demand that the department must support the R171 students until this situation has been resolved. This will then set a precedent that no student under R171 shall vacate any residence or college until the matter is resolved,” said Tshabalala.
“Haitu will be applying for a mega march on the 31st of May, in support of the R171 students who are being given a raw deal by the department.”
On Sunday, the Gauteng Department of Health announced that it had obtained a court order restraining the R171 curriculum final-year nursing students from participating in, encouraging, facilitating and/or promoting any unlawful protest and activities at Gauteng College of Nursing campuses.
“The R171 final year students have this past week been disrupting and interfering with the first and second-year’s examinations, restricting access to the SG Lorens campus and preventing the free movement of student nurses, employees, lecturers and service providers,” said spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
“The unlawful protests and activities are due to the students’ demand that their bursary stipend they have been receiving while studying must continue to be paid between June and November 2023, while they wait for their licentiate exam with the SANC (South African Nursing Council), even though they are now done with their studies.
“Unfortunately, the Gauteng Department of Health does not have over R8m to cover the costs of extending the period of the 167 final year students currently on bursary contract. This will be considered irregular expenditure as it does not comply with the Public Finance Management Act.
“The students’ demand is over and above the fact that their bursary benefits, including monthly allowances, were extended before as a result of Covid-19-related disruption of their academic programme at various campuses of Gauteng College of Nursing, the Nursing Education Institution they are studying at,” said Modiba.
He said the total budgetary implications were that it would cost the health department about R77m when considering three cohorts of students who were on a bursary contract with provincial health department.
“The Gauteng Department of Health has, in good faith, engaged with the students, however, some continue to intimidate, conduct unauthorised surveillance on and defame officials. A case of intimidation, crimen injuria and defamation of character has been opened with the SAPS at Hillbrow police station.”
Modiba said the matter was due to be heard in court on June 27, 2023, when the parties were expected to arguments on whether a final order should be granted.
IOL