Press Rel 4/2017
The South African Nursing Council (SANC) confirms that the Democratic Organization of Nurses in South Africa (DENOSA) accessed the premises of the SANC on Friday 23 June 2017 without authorization, legal permission or an appointment for any meeting. It is with dismay that we can confirm that fires were set, property was damaged and staff members were intimidated. It is consequently understood that DENOSA was there to demand that the Council’s Acting Registrar unduly addresses a matter regarding the SANC cancelling examinations, which DENOSA itself has handed over to its attorneys to handle. The only constituency that the SANC had a scheduled meeting with on the day in question and who therefore was legally present in the SANC building, was the Student Command of the Economic Freedom Front (EFFSC) to address student challenges as per their written request. The situation with the DENOSA members was diffused by the police who were called to curb the violence, prevent further damage to property and to protect the SANC staff whose safety is the SANC’s responsibility and is not taken lightly. The SANC, as regulatory body for the nursing profession and in line with its approved policy that has previously been implemented without delay or any challenges at all in this regard, cancelled the May 2017 examinations following an investigation into allegations and then confirming that the four examination question papers for the Bridging Course had leaked. Such cancellation ensures that all students who write the same examination pass fairly and credibly so that the public has confidence that they are safe and competent nurse practitioners. It also ensures that students who did not have access to the leaked paper are not prejudiced by an unfair advantage of competing with students who copied it. New examination dates were set to avoid a long waiting period that would jeopardize progression of first year students into second year, and second year students from finishing the course and going into service. The SANC affirms that the students will not pay any fees for this examination to the SANC, as is the norm. Any information making reference to payment for this examination is not coming from the South African Nursing Council, untrue and misleading. The investigations into the leakage continue in order for the necessary legal action against the perpetrators to be instituted as soon as the investigations have been completed.
ENDS
Issued by: Mrs. Adri van Eeden
Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted: Ms S Mchunu
For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: avaneeden@sanc.co.za |