The Mmabatho Nursing College has been closed indefinitely. The closure follows a month long boycott of clinical practical and learning activities. Nursing students at the college are demanding that the Department of Health cease to transport them to clinical facilities and to also stop accommodating them. As result, they want to be given transport and accommodation allowance.
The boycott started on Friday, 8 May 2014 when students refused to be transported to their clinical facilities citing late arrival to clinical facilities due to transport constraints and congestion of learners at clinical facilities. They requested to be provided with transport and accommodation allowance in addressing the above challenges.
The department is providing transport to clinical facilities and when there is a need transport is outsourced to alleviate shortage. Students are however expected to adhere to stipulated departure time which is a challenge to drivers as students do not adhere.
On alleged congestion at facilities, students are placed on both night and day duty and this arrangement was not honoured by some students. Most of them only choose to be placed during the day hence the congestion. The department is of the view that they should also rotate on night placement because even when they graduate to be nurses, they will be expected to work at night.
The students refused management interventions and demanded accommodation and transport allowance instead, with the view that they can transport themselves to various clinical facilities. With the accommodation allowance, students want to rent own accommodation. Despite all efforts to intervene by management the students continued with their clinical boycott to date.
The department accepts that the infrastructure needs a facelift. To this effect, the National Department of Health is currently in the process of revitalising the college infrastructure. The maintenance plan has been submitted.
Students had started vandalising college property, intimidating admin staff, and closing employees inside the college. Yesterday, college staff had to leave under police guard as students had become violent.
The department is committed to resolve any legitimate grievance the students have.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Provincial Health spokesperson
Cell: 082 929 9958
Email: tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za
