Nursing students in limbo as Gauteng health can’t absorb them

More than 100 nursing students who were given bursaries by the Gauteng department of health (GDoH) say they are in limbo as the department does not have funds to place them for community service and absorb them for employment.

The students from the Gauteng College of Nursing R. 171 programme began their studies in 2020 and were given bursaries by the department. They were the first group in the three-year nursing programme after it was introduced in 2020.

Mpho Rantsu, spokesperson for the students, said the lack of further funding by the department has caused distress.

“We feel misled and let down by the department . When we were welcomed into the course in February 2020 by then Gauteng health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku, we were assured we would be placed for employment on course completion.

“Not only are we under a bursary programme but we are trained under high standards of nursing education and training and it is common knowledge we have a shortage of nursing staff in South Africa, especially professional nurses. Not once did we think we would face being part of the high statistics of unemployed graduates,” said Rantsu.

The nursing college campuses affected are Ann Latsky, Bonalesedi, Baragwanath and SG Lourens.

In a response TimesLIVE has seen, the department said it has “considered your concerns. Unfortunately the department does not have the R77m to cover the costs of extending the period of the current bursary contract”.

The students are set to meet the department on Tuesday and have threatened to shut down all four campuses if they do not get a favourable response.

Another issue they are raising is that in their third year they were allegedly suddenly told they had to write board exams before being professionally registered with the South African Nursing Council (SANC) as professional nurses.

“We know the authorities may say Dr Masuku is no longer a deployee. However, we were assured his term of service has no impact on our status of placement since the national department of health board is the primary decision-making authority and not him as an individual.

 “Even though this was not communicated to us properly and in time, we are not against it and we are well aware the SANC is well within their rights to change their terms as stipulated in our contracts. What we are standing against is staying at home, unemployed, while waiting to write board exams so we can be registered nurses.

“With the unemployment rate at a peak, why would government waste funds to train professional nurses, only for them to contribute to the already high unemployment rate? Our nurses are overwhelmed due to staff shortages and they need all the help they can get,” said Rantsu.

TimesLIVE has reached out to the GDoH for response. The story will be updated once furnished. 

TimesLIVE

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