8 November 2024

FOR ATTENTION     :   NEWS EDITOR

SUBJECT :                    SANC CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF SELF-REGULATION
DATE :                           08 NOVEMBER 2024

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) will be celebrating 80 years of self-regulation on Friday 08 November 2024.

The nursing profession in South Africa obtained self-regulation on 08 November 1944. The Council held its first Council meeting, and legally enforceable registration was accomplished.

The transition to a democratic dispensation led to changes in the regulating of the nursing profession in South Africa. In early 1994 a Ministerial delegation from the four “homeland” Councils, led by the ANC’s Ms Cherly Carolus, was tasked with drafting a Nursing Act that would reflect democratic principles. The positive output of the delegation was the repeal of the Nursing Acts of the Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, and Ciskei (TBVC) states and the institution of the Interim Nursing Council from 1995 up to 1998.

The inauguration of the first democratic Nursing Council took place in June 1998 – the first among all professional councils to establish a democratic Council. Professor V Gumbi was appointed as the President/Chairperson of this first Council. This Council continued with the transformative process, leading to the (current) Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005).

The SANC has made significant strides in the regulation of the nursing profession under the governance of the respective Councils and has come a long way in implementing the Nursing Act of 2005. Guided by its 17th Council under the Chairpersonship of Dr Matlou Molepo, the SANC is now serving in excess of 268 000 nurses and midwives. Other key milestones that have been achieved include:
• Developing Nursing education and training standards as well as the Nursing Practice Standards as part of regulating the profession.
• Establishing an Impairment Committee in 2008 to manage practitioners who cannot execute nursing duties with reasonable skills and safety.
• Renaming the South African Nursing Council building to Cecilia Makiwane Building in 2012 in recognition of her being the first African registered Professional Nurse in South Africa on 7 January 1908.
• Phasing-out of legacy nursing qualifications and phasing in nursing education qualifications that are aligned to the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework, that lead to registration of nurses to categories in the Nursing Act, 2005.
• Launch of the new SANC logo and slogan in 2019 as part of celebrating the SANC’s 75th anniversary whilst keeping the Seal of the SANC.
• Expanding the footprint of the SANC by leading the establishment of the SADC Nursing and Midwifery Regulator’s Forum in 2022.
• In March 2023 the SANC unveiled a Wall of Remembrance in memory of those nurses who succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in that same year hosted its first Nursing Excellence Awards for nurses, nurse students and Nursing Education Institutions.

Taking the SANC into future, SANC Registrar and CEO, Prof NG Mtshali says: “The SANC is embracing the fourth industrial revolution with a targeted and consistent plan to digitize its services to nurses and stakeholders, ensuring optimal service delivery via a host of different platforms. The SANC will be introducing a Member Management System (MMS) as of next year to further digitize areas of importance to nurses. Among these will be the online availability of the Annual Practicing Certificates. We are also looking forward to introducing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for nurses now that the pilot studies have been completed.

We are looking forward to the next decade working collaboratively with the nurses and stakeholders in advancing the profession.”

The South African Nursing Council – celebrating 80 years of self-regulation.

Issued by:
Mrs. Adri Van Eeden
Senior Manager: Communication, Marketing and Client Services
South African Nursing Council
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sanc.co.za
Tel: 012 426-9542

Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:
Prof NG Mtshali
Registrar and CEO: SA Nursing Council

For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri Van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: [email protected] or
Ms. P. Moloi, Communication Manager on Tel. (012) 420-1017, email: [email protected]

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