TO:         NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

                PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

                NURSING SERVICE MANAGERS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH ESTABLISHMENTS

                NURSING AGENCIES

                ALL STAKEHOLDERS

SUBJECT: EMPLOYMENT OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

1. PURPOSE
   • The purpose of this circular is to inform the employers to refrain from employing nurse practitioners who are not registered with the SANC or whose names have been removed from the SANC Register in terms of Section 44 of the Nursing Act,2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005).

2. BACKGROUND
   • The South African Nursing Council is a statutory body that is empowered by the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) to protect the public in matters involving health services in general and nursing services in particular.
   • The Impairment Committee is established in terms of Section 15 of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) and mandated to investigate all reported cases of alleged unfitness to practice against nurses who are registered in terms of the Act. This is to ensure that nurse practitioners who provide nursing services to healthcare users are competent and fit to practise nursing with reasonable skills and safety.
   • On analysis of reported cases, the Impairment Committee noted with concern perpetual non-compliance by employers, by employing nurses without current registration with the SANC or whose names were removed from the SANC Register in terms of Section 44 of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005).

3. DIRECTIVE
   • Employers must refrain from employing nurses without current registration with the SANC or whose names were removed from the Register in terms of Section 44 of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005).Verification of the nurse registration status can be done on the eRegister on SANC website, sanc.co.za.
   • Any person who contravenes the provisions above will be held personally liable in terms of Section 31(11) of the Act.
   • Employers are urged to familiarise themselves and comply with the above as well as general provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005(Act No. 33 of 2005) by visiting sanc.co.za.

4. IMPLICATIONS

The contents of this circular must be brought to the attention of all employers in health establishments and nurse practitioners.

5. IMPLEMENTATION

This circular shall become effective on the date of issue. Enquiries in this regard can be directed to Dr J Muswede, Senior Manager: Professional Practice at [email protected] or Tel: 012 420 1008.

Yours sincerely

________________

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

DATE: ___________________________________

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TO:         NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

                PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

                NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

                ALL STAKEHOLDERS

SUBJECT: ANNUAL FEES for 2025

This Circular serves as confirmation of the South African Nursing Council’s fees and fines as stipulated in the Government Gazette published on 31 May 2024. 

1. ANNUAL FEES FOR 2025
   • NORMAL ANNUAL FEES

The annual fees for the calendar year 2025 for different categories of practitioners are provided in the table below:

• REDUCTIONS IN ANNUAL FEES FOR AGE 60 AND OVER

The Council has resolved to introduce reduced fees for nurses 60 years of age and over as per the table below:

• 60 TO 64 YEARS OF AGE ON 1 JANUARY 2025 (25% REDUCTION)

• 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER ON 01 JANUARY 2025 (50% REDUCTION)

NB: To qualify for the discount amounts, practitioners may be required to submit a certified copy of their identity document in order to confirm their age.

Notes:

• The annual fees for 2025 must be received by the SANC on or before 31 December 2024.
• The amounts in the tables above all include 15% VAT.
• The amounts are rounded to the nearest R10.00

2. RESTORATION FEES FOR 2024

The restoration fees for different categories applicable from 1 January 2025 are shown in the following table.

Notes:

The reduced restoration fee only applies to a practitioner:

• Who must have been removed from the register at his/her own request; or
• Who must be 60 years of age or older on 1 January 2025. However, this must be confirmed with the Council before paying the reduced amount.

3. VOLUNTARY REMOVAL

A Nurse Practitioner who no longer wishes to practise in South Africa or who is unemployed, may request, in writing, for a voluntary removal of his/her name from the register, by completing the form available from the SANC. If a voluntary removal is granted by the SANC, the nurse practitioner’s name will be removed accordingly on the 31^st of December of the year in which the application is received.             

Once removed, the nurse practitioner will no longer be required to pay annual fees while he/she is removed from the register.

If the nurse practitioner requires reinstatement onto the register, he/she will, in addition to paying the reduced restoration fee, be required to complete a Restoration Form which can be accessed from the SANC website, www.sanc.co.za. It must be noted that practising while not being registered is illegal.

4. CLOSING DATE FOR PAYMENT OF ANNUAL FEES

Please note that for the calendar year 2025, the closing date for the payment of annual fees is 31 December 2024. Payments must reach the SANC bank account on or before the closing date. You are, therefore, urged not to leave payment for the last minute to avoid problems associated with making payments at year end.

Remember: Bank transfers from non-FNB banks may take up to 3 working days and you are therefore advised to pay well in advance to meet the 31 December 2024 deadline.

5. DELIVERY OF ANNUAL PRACTISING CERTIFICATES

The Council has introduced the option to deliver annual practising certificate by courier to Nursing Practitioners who individually pay annual fees via the bank at their own cost.

The courier cost of delivery of an annual practising certificate is R70.00 (subject to increase due to price escalation by service providers) and Nurse Practitioners who opt for delivery by courier should pay the above cost together with their annual fees. This will be an indication that the Nurse has opted for delivery by courier.

6. OTHER FEES

Please note that other fees and fines payable by institutions will be applicable with effect from 01 January 2025.

7. PERSAL DEDUCTIONS

The signing of Resolution 3 of 2019 in September 2019 by the National Department of Health together with major trade unions in Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council (PHSDSBC), brought into effect the implementation of PERSAL deductions from the 2020 APC season for all employees falling under the scope of the PHSDSBC.

As a result of this agreement, affected Nurse Practitioners are urged not to pay the annual fees on their own as the employers are required to pay on their behalf in terms of Resolution 3 of 2019.  

8. eREGISTER

The SANC has made an eRegister facility available on the SANC website which can be utilised by employers to verify the registration status of all Nurse Practitioners in their employment. Employers are urged to utilise this facility in the absence of a physical Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

Visit: https://www.sanc.co.za/eRegister.aspx for more details.

9. COMMUNITY SERVICE PRACTITIONERS

Community Service Practitioners are not eligible to be issued with an APC, and therefore, should NOT pay annual fees. They MUST pay a conversion fee on completion of their Community Service in order to be registered as Nurse Practitioners using the REGFPRA registration fee code instead of ANLFEES (e.g. 12345678REGFPRA).

Yours sincerely

________________

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

DATE: ___________________________________

Click the link below to download the Circular as a PDF

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