By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Gauteng Department of Health has obtained an interim court order restraining final year nursing students from participating in or encouraging, facilitating and promoting any unlawful protests at the Gauteng College of Nursing campuses.
Over the past week, students across the Gauteng colleges of nursing have been demonstrating over contractual agreements with the department.
The protesting students vowed to continue and intesify their protests on Monday.
Mpho Rantsu, spokesperson for the protesting students said, they “feel misled and let down” by the Gauteng Department of Health because they were told they would be placed in jobs on completion of the three-year course.
Rantsu said the department was now “singing a different tune, and no one is willing to hear us out”.
They are demanding that the department pay their stipends until they take the exam in November.
Spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the department did not have over R8 million to cover the costs of extending the period of the students currently on bursary contracts.
“This will be considered irregular expenditure as it does not comply with the Public Finance Management Act,” Modiba claimed.
The department said the protests are unlawful and those who continue to participate will face criminal charges.
The Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) said, it “has noted with disgust” that the Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has been granted an urgent interdict to stop student nurses’ protests.
“We say voetsek to the Gauteng MEC for abusing the courts, in order to run away from her responsibilities towards students,” said HAITU.
“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.”
Modiba reminded the protesters that the court order prohibited them from organising and participating in meetings and protest action on any of the campuses without a court order.
The matter is to be heard on 27 June, when the parties will present arguments on whether a final order should be granted or not.