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The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Mpumalanga has noted the increasing numbers of COVID-19 new infections, especially amongst our members and other professionals who are frontline workers within the health sector, specifically nurses.

We are disturbed by the continuous undermining attacks from our Government more specifically the Department of Health and the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize. As frontline workers who are exposed to the virus on a daily basis, one would have expected the Department of Health to do a thorough consultative process with nurses and doctors on the vaccine of the COVID-19.

“As nurses, we are also humans and need to be reassured on anything that could affect our safety and that of our loved ones. We will not allow the government to impose the vaccine on us or use us as testing tools, and it is within our right to reject this vaccine,” said the Provincial Secretary, Mzwandile Shongwe.

At the beginning of this pandemic, we requested a Tax break from Government and the Government remain silent. We further requested a Risk Allowance as we continuously risk our lives to save the lives of the public but instead the Government rejected all this and yet we are still expected to serve with open arms and hearts.

DENOSA in Mpumalanga calls on the Department of Health and the Government at large to:

1.            To continue and fill the gaps of nurses in all categories as this dire shortage is causing burnout on nurses. If nurses, who are the heart of the health sector, continue to be infected, the public will be left unattended.

2.            The Mpumalanga Department of Health to continue and provide enough and quality PPE, and to advice managers in health facilities not to deprive our members of PPE as it is a nurse's right to work in a safe environment.

We call on our members to call our Shopstewards that are close to them if they have challenges with PPE. Our nurses must never allow to be used as sacrificial lambs of the department.

We continue to say: NO PPE, NO WORK!

Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Mpumalanga.