5 June 2014

Requirements regarding deferments of candidates to write South African Nursing Council scheduled examinations

The Examinations Section is inundated with late applications to defer candidates from one scheduled examination to the following examination – where candidates do not meet the requirements for either theory or clinical assessments.  Such late applications for deferment have huge financial and logistical implications, as capturing of data is closed by then and the materials for the examinations have already been printed and packaged.  This results in SANC incurring a fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

It is also evident (from the number of such candidates who present themselves at the examination centre) that deferred candidates are not informed in advance about the decision to defer their entry into the examination.

Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) are reminded of the following provisions in Examination Regulations published by Government Notice No. R.7 of 8 January 1983 (as amended):

“5.(2)  The person in charge of a nursing school shall notify the Council immediately, giving reasons, if a candidate becomes ineligible for admission to an examination subsequent to the submitting of an application for an admission to an examination.”

“7.(1)  A candidate who is absent from an examination on the actual day or days of the examination for a reason acceptable to the Council may apply for admission to the next examination without the payment of the examination fee prescribed by regulation 16(a) or (b).

(2)  In the case of an absence referred to in subregulation (1) proof acceptable to the Council of the reason for the absence shall be submitted to the Council within 21 days of the date of the examination from which the candidate was absent.”

“16.  Subject to the provisions of –

(a)  regulation 7, an examination fee per paper for basic courses shall be payable to the Council on application for admission to the examination;

(b)  regulation 7, an examination fee per paper for post-basic courses shall be payable to the Council on application for admission to the examination; 

(c)  regulation 4(2), an application submitted later than the date referred to in regulation 4(1), shall be accepted only on payment of a late entry fee, which shall be payable in addition to the fees prescribed by paragraph (a) or (b);

(d)  regulation 7, a candidate shall forfeit examination fees to the Council if any application is cancelled or if a candidate is absent from an examination or a portion of an examination;”

In order to prevent future problems associated with late deferments, the Council will adhere strictly to the measures described below.

1. Notices of deferment (in terms of 5.(2) of the Examination Regulations) will only be accepted by the Council if received before the date on which preparations for the dispatching of exam materials commences – that is 35 days prior to the date of the first (or only) examination to be written in a particular week
2. Any notice for deferment received after the date mentioned in 1. (above) will be treated as a case of cancellation and the candidate shall forfeit the examination fees in terms of 16.(d) of the Examination Regulations
3. Entry into Council Examinations shall not be used by NEIs as a measure to address the NEIs’ own administrative issues with a candidate (such as non-payment of tuition fees). Any such administrative issues shall be dealt with in terms of the NEIs policies for addressing such issues.

Thank you for your cooperation.

(Signed)

Mr. Tendani. Mabuda 
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

5 May 2014

URGENT NOTICE

Cancellation of the South African Nursing Council (SANC) Examination Question Papers for Final Enrolment as a Nurse (R.2175) for the following electives: General, Community, Psychiatric and Nursing Care of the Aged to be written on 12 May 2014

It has come to our attention that the courier vehicle which was transporting SANC examination papers for the Final Enrolment as a Nurse (R.2175) for the following electives: General, Community, Psychiatric and the Nursing Care of the Aged to some Nursing Education Institutions (NEI’s) was hijacked.  These examinations were scheduled to be written on 12 May 2014. You are therefore informed that all the original examination papers referred to above are nullified and must not be distributed to candidates on 12 May 2014.  (These papers are printed on WHITE paper.)

NB:  For those NEI’s that have received their examination boxes earlier from the courier, the Main Invigilators should take out from the previously sent examination boxes only the following examination materials: answer books, attendance lists, claim forms and Courier waybills for sending back the examination material to SANC.  The new boxes with different examination papers are being couriered to your NEIs.  White cable ties have been used on these boxes, to distinguish them from the ones previously dispatched to your NEI’s dated 12 May 2014.  The replacement papers are printed on peach coloured paper.

Main Invigilators will receive two (2) security codes via SMS on 12 May 2014 to open the examination boxes in order to retrieve the contents.

Kindly communicate with the following personnel in Assessments Section in case of problems encountered on the day (12 May 2014) of the examination:

Thank you for your cooperation.

(Signed)

Mr. T. Mabuda 
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

11 April 2014

South African Nursing Council – Easter Holidays Closure : 17 – 22 April 2014

Please be informed that the South African Nursing Council (SANC) offices will be closing at 13:00 on 17 April 2014 in preparation for Easter holidays and re – opening on 22 April 2014 at 08:00.

Kindly inform all persons in your institutions so that they are aware in advance of the dates the Council will be closed.

We wish you safe Easter holidays.

Sincerely,

(Signed)

Mr. Tendani Mabuda 
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

04 April 2014

NON PAYMENT OF ANNUAL RENEWAL FEES BY NURSING PRACTITIONERS

We refer to the above.

It has come to the attention of the South African Nursing Council that there are nursing practitioners who are employed and do not pay their annual renewal fees in terms of the Nursing Act 33 of 2005 in order to be able to practice.

This letter serves as a formal notice to draw the attention of all employers of nursing practitioners to the relevant provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005 Section 31 (Registration as prerequisite to practise) which reads as follows:

“31. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 37, no person may practise as a practitioner unless he or she is registered to practise in at least one of the following categories:

(a) Professional nurse;
(b) midwife;
(c) staff nurse;
(d) auxiliary nurse; or
(e) auxiliary midwife.

(2) The Minister, after consultation with the Council, may by notice in the Gazette create such other categories of persons to be registered to practise nursing as he or she considers necessary in the public interest.

(3) An employer must not employ or retain in employment a person to perform the functions pertaining to the profession of nursing, other than a person who holds the necessary qualification and who is registered under subsection (1) or (2).

(4) No person may use as a title any of the categories contemplated in subsection (1) or (2) unless he or she is registered as such in terms of this section.”

Kindly take note of the provisions in Section 31(11) of the Nursing Act that reads as follows:

“A person who contravenes subsection (1), (3) or (4) [as emphasized above] is guilty of an offence and on conviction liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both a fine and such imprisonment.”

In light of the above we urge all employers to ensure that their nursing practitioners provide them with their Annual Practising Certificates as proof of registration. Should any person be discovered by the South African Nursing Council to be employed without registration, the necessary criminal procedure steps will follow against both such practitioner and his/her employer.

We trust that you find this in order.

Kind regards,

(Signed)

MR. T. MABUDA 
REGISTRAR AND CEO
SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

© 2004 – 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

10 February 2014

ADDENDUM TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL CIRCULAR 11/2013:

EXAMINATION SCHEDULE FOR 2014

This serves to inform you that an announcement was made by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Gedley’hlekisa Zuma, on Friday, 7 February 2014 that 7 May 2014 is an election day and new dates have been scheduled to replace those previously communicated through Circular 11/2013.

The postponed examinations that were supposed to be written on 5, 7 and 9 May 2014, have been moved respectively, to the following week on 12, 14 and 16 May 2014.

All previous dates of the other examinations remain unchanged.

You are kindly requested to communicate this information to all learners.

Please acknowledge the receipt of this circular if you have learners who will be writing the above stated examinations.  All enquiries and acknowledgements should be directed to the Manager: Assessments.

Your assistance and cooperation is much appreciated.

Yours faithfully

(Signed)

Mr. Tendani Mabuda 
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

22 November 2013

Conversion of Already Approved Paper-Based Programmes/Curricula, Applications for Clinical Facilities and Relocation to new premises for Electronic Versions for Archiving

PURPOSE

To request Nursing Education Institutions to submit converted paper-based legacy programmes/curricula, applications for clinical facilities and relocation to new premises in order to be uploaded on the electronic database system. 

OVERVIEW

The SANC is improving its operations by uploading its data on the electronic/digital document management system.  This system is efficient and time saving when searching for documents for reference and implementation of the Council’s activities.

REQUEST

Nursing Education Institutions are requested to convert their already approved paper based programmes/curricula into electronic version.

All approved clinical facilities applications must also be converted from paper based into electronic version.

Letters of approval for existing programmes must be scanned and used as annexures to such documents.

A PDF format must be used in order to ensure that conversion cannot be done by unauthorised person/s.

Template for already approved clinical facilities is herewith illustrated for submission.

ACCREDITED  FACILITY	PROGRAMME/S	NUMBER OF  LEARNERS PLACED

  

This information must be sent electronically to:

The Senior Manager: Education and Training
Dr. S. Mkhize
e-mail: [email protected]

Documents must reach SANC on or before the 15 March 2014.

All queries must be directed to:

The Senior Manager: Education and Training
Dr. S. Mkhize
Telephone:  012 420-1022

Yours Sincerely

(Signed)

Mr T. Mabuda 
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

22 November 2013

Requirements for Processing of Learners who are Registered in Terms of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005)

1.  PURPOSE

	To inform mainline Universities and Universities of Technology to comply with the stipulation that a person undergoing Education or Training in Nursing must apply to the Council to be registered as a learner nurse or learner midwife – Section 32 (1).
	The person in charge of a Nursing Education Institution (NEI) must, within 30 days, notify and furnish to the Council information prescribed by the Council in respect of each learner nurse or learner midwife who has commenced, completed, transferred to or abandoned a prescribed Nursing Education and Training Programme (prescribed programme) – Section 32 (3).
	No person may practice as a practitioner unless he or she is registered to practice in a prescribed category – Section 31 (1) and (2).

2.  BACKGROUND

Nursing Education Institutions are expected to comply in terms of Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No.33 of 2005) that a person undergoing Education or Training in Nursing must apply to the Council to be registered as a learner nurse or learner midwife – Section 32 (1).  History has shown that some mainline Universities and Universities of Technology do not adhere to this stipulation in the following Nursing Programmes:

	Diploma in Clinical Nursing Science, Health Assessment, Treatment and Care (GG Regulation No. 48 of 22 January 1982 as amended).
	Diploma in Community Nursing Science (GG Regulation No. 276 of 15 February 1980 as amended).
	Course for the Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing for registration as a Psychiatric Nurse (GG Regulation No. 880 of 2 May 1975 as amended).
	Course for the Diploma in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife (GG Regulation No. 254 of 14 February 1975).
	Course for the Diploma in Nursing Administration (GG Regulation No. 1501 of 8 July 1983 as amended).

N.B.  This circular must be read in conjunction with the Guidelines for Nursing Education Institutions: Requirements for Processing of Learners who are Registered in Terms of the Nursing Act, 2005.  This circular becomes effective and implementable on its receipt.  Implementation of this circular excludes learners who are undergoing in (GG Regulations No. R212 Course in Clinical Nursing Science leading to registration of an additional qualification of 19 February 1993 as amended).

All queries must be directed to:

The Manager: Registration

Ms. S.J. Nxumalo
Telephone: 012 426-9599
e-mail: [email protected].

Yours sincerely

(Signed)

Mr. T. Mabuda 
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

22 November 2013

Regulations Issued by the South African Nursing Council on Successful Registration of Learner/s into a Nursing Education Programme

Purpose 

To inform all relevant parties about changes relating to issuing of regulations to learners on registration with the South African Nursing Council.

Background

The South African Nursing Council used to issue hard copies of regulations relevant to the programmes that learners have been registered into.  These regulations were packaged and sent by either courier or postal services to the respective Nursing Education Institutions.  To improve turnaround time and to reduce the operational cost related to courier and postal services, the South African Nursing Council will post these regulations on the SANC website.

Directive

The Council resolved that, it will no longer post these regulations except registration certificates of learners.  Nursing Education Institutions are required to download relevant/applicable regulations once the certificate of registration as a learner has been issued.  Applicable regulations are downloadable at www.sanc.co.za on the Publications/Regulations/Index to Regulations page (follow the links or click this link to go straight to the correct page).

For further clarification, enquiries should be directed to:

The Manager: Registrations
Ms. S.J. Nxumalo
e-mail: [email protected].

Yours Sincerely

(Signed)

Mr T Mabuda 
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer
South African Nursing Council

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer