Healthcare workers lost in Boksburg gas tank tragedy honoured by Denosa and Gauteng Health

John Perlman interviews Bongani Mazibuko, Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) Gauteng Provincial Secretary. 

Listen below.

On Thursday, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) and the Gauteng Department of Health honoured the memory of healthcare workers who died in the Boksburg gas tank explosion.

On Christmas Eve of 2022, 41 individuals, including eleven nurses and a driver from Tambo Memorial Hospital, lost their lives due to a gas tanker explosion beneath a low bridge. 

International Nurses Day falls on 12 May making the month more significant for Denosa and its members.

Mazibuko emphasises the importance of honouring the sacrifice of nurses who have lost their lives in service and celebrating the dedication of those tirelessly working across our nation.

He highlights critical issues within the healthcare sector, notably the shortage of nurses.

Mazibuko stresses the need to address several key areas to ensure a sufficient influx of nursing professionals:

• Investment in nursing: Allocating resources to support the training and retention of nurses.
• Overhauling nursing education: Addressing accreditation issues within the nursing council to expand the number of accredited institutions producing nurses. This, Mazibuko believes, will appeal to younger generations, revitalising the ageing profession.
• Ensuring quality education for nurses: Focusing on providing nurses with comprehensive and up-to-date education to ensure longevity.
• Enhancing working conditions: Recognising the importance of improving workplace environments to prevent nurses from seeking employment opportunities abroad due to dissatisfaction.

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"To us they represented nurses who lost their lives doing what they were passionate about, which was helping people."

- Bongani Mazibuko, Gauteng Provincial Secretary – Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa

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