Nompumelelo Majola recently had to deal with the sorrow of burying her 65-year-old mother who had succumbed to a long illness.
On the day of the funeral, she received a phone call from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health telling her that her application to work as an Enrolled Nursing Assistant had been successful.
“I could not believe it,” she said. She had spent the past 13 years struggling to find permanent employment.
Majola who originates from Mbumbulu, now works at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi in Durban.
“I’d like to thank President Cryil Ramaphosa and MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo for making our dreams come true,” she said.
The employment of the nurses was part of the stimulus package, which was announced by President Ramaphosa. It aims to boost the public health sector through the creation of more than 5 300 jobs throughout the country.
The provincial department is also finalising the appointment of porters, general orderlies, pharmacy assistants and artisans.
Another newly appointed nurse Gugu Mdlalose, from KwaMashu, who has been placed at Wentworth Hospital, said: “This was going to be my 14th year of not working since qualifying as a nurse. I am extremely grateful to Bab’ Ramaphosa and the entire health team,” she said, fighting back tears.
MEC Dhlomo expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Ramaphosa for the stimulus package, saying that its beneficiaries will be the vast majority of the population who rely on the State for their health needs – particularly those in far-flung areas.
“Today, there are 300 families who have breadwinners. These nurses have brought tears of joy." Dr Dhlomo said the nurses have been sitting at home for over 14 years. "These are the nurses who are at the bottom of the ladder of the nursing profession, but they mean so much to our people."
"We hope by injecting 300 new nurses into the system, we’re going to bring meaning in terms of quality of service to our people.”
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