EWN reports that the Gauteng Department of Health has advised that first-year nursing candidates will begin their academic year in April and not in January as initially planned.  

The department announced in December that it could no longer afford to fund the nearly 700 prospective students this year, despite having informed them that they qualified for the course and promising to fund them.  This triggered criticism, with Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) activists occupying nursing colleges on Monday, calling on the students to study by force.  Chief director of nursing in the department, Johanna More, indicated:  “Their programme won’t start in January, instead it will start in April.  And therefore, the completion time will also be appropriate.  We are going to discuss with the South African Nursing Council, we will discuss with the universities, the National Department of Health.  So that we are assisted to re-adjust the programme.”

• A short report by Koketšo Motau is at EWN

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