DENOSA KZN statement on continuing tactics by government to effect salary increase and poor quality of PPE given to nurses in the province

August 23, 2020

DENOSA in KwaZulu-Natal is disappointed and angry about the stunt by government of delaying tactics when it comes to the dispute declared by unions on the salary increase which was due this year in April, but till now nurses have not received their salary increase.

The principle of increasing salaries is informed by the annual rise in prices of goods and services, but unfortunately nurse’s salaries remain the same and that is unfair and should not be tolerated.

As the government has consistently been pleading poverty, DENOSA propose that the government use funds from disaster management to honour resolution 1 of 2018.

DENOSA is waiting for Friday the 28th of August 2020 for the outcome of the Arbitration, and thereafter will seek a mandate from its members for the way foward depending on the outcome of that arbitration.

DENOSA noted that there is lack of N95 masks in the institutions due to the embargo issued by US President Donald Trump to stop imports to South Africa.

The department is using KN95 which is similar to the N95, but it is Chinese standard.

DENOSA has serious problems with these masks as they are not water resistant. They are poorly fitting around the face and nose, which increases chances of introducing infection to the user.

Some are not certified for medical use, hence they are written dusk masks.

DENOSA also noted that other staff not working in COVID-19 wards are exposed as they work with their uniforms which could be a potential bearer of infection.

DENOSA had a meeting with senior management of the Department of Health ok the province to discuss, amongst other things, these masks and PPE, flu clinics and student nurses’ issue of laptops and data.

DENOSA proposed that staff be given teesave to use in the wards so as to minimise the spread of infection.

The department promised to look into both of these issues.

Flue clinics are an extra service that need to be supported with resources.

DENOSA proposed that recruitment of staff must be done at these flue clinics.

The Department agreed with the proposal, however they have a challenge recruiting specialists since there is a shortage of these skills.

DENOSA proposed that they translate all the specialists in the department.

The Department agreed that they will be identifying all those professional nurses in the next two weeks.

Furthermore, DENOSA wanted to know as to how far is the process of issuing laptops to student nurses as well as data.