Health Department Fails to Meet Deadline for Providing Nurses with Uniforms

The Department of Health in South Africa has once again missed a deadline to provide nurses at public hospitals and clinics with uniforms. The initial deadline for the provision of nurses’ uniforms was set for October of the previous year. However, instead of supplying the uniforms, the department opted to pay nurses a sum of R3,153 to purchase their own uniforms.

Subsequently, the department has committed to paying nurses a one-time allowance of R3,307.60 by the end of November, with a promise to supply them with uniforms by September 2025. Despite this commitment, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) has expressed concerns that the allowance is insufficient for nurses to afford proper uniforms.

Nurses have been receiving an annual allowance for uniform purchases since 2005. Under a new agreement signed in March 2023, the department agreed to provide uniforms directly to nurses instead of the previous allowance of R2,600. According to the agreement, nurses were supposed to receive seven sets of uniforms over a two-year period, including various clothing items and accessories.

However, as the deadline of October 1, 2023, approached, the department faced challenges with the procurement process. A last-minute meeting in September 2023 informed nurses’ unions that the supply of uniforms would be delayed until September 2024, with temporary allowances provided in the interim. Despite efforts to address concerns raised by DENOSA in June 2024, the department acknowledged ongoing challenges with suppliers and proposed a new deadline of September 2025.

DENOSA has criticized the department’s handling of the uniform provision, emphasizing the need for a centralized procurement system to ensure quality and prevent corruption. The union highlighted the financial burden on nurses, stating that the allocated allowance is insufficient for purchasing a complete set of uniforms, which typically costs between R8,500 and R14,000 for a week’s worth of attire.

Department spokesperson Foster Mohale assured that the uniforms would adhere to local content regulations, promoting South African industry and jobs. Despite these assurances, DENOSA remains wary of potential quality issues and corruption risks associated with the decentralized procurement approach. The union advocates for a more effective and transparent procurement system to safeguard the interests of nurses and uphold standards in uniform provision.