6 Wednesday, May 12 2021 NEWS

COMMENT

EDITORIAL NURSES TRANSFORMING FUTURE OF parole is HEALTH CARE

an insult PORTIA JORDAN

THE Department of Justice and Cor- NURSES are an unstoppable and an rectional Services’ decision to quietly incredible workforce in the health-care release on parole two members of the environment. According to the data- notorious right-wing group, Boeremag, base of the SA Nursing Council, there is an insult to South Africans, espe- are about 400 000 nurses in South cially the families of political prisoners Africa, making nursing an integral and languishing in jail for decades after crucial part of our economy. being arrested for having taken part in The Bureau of Labour Statistics in the Struggle against . the US expects nursing job growth of And the fact that Minister of Jus- 12% through 2028, much faster then tice and Correctional Services Ronald the average occupation. Lamola’s decision has been shrouded Nurses are the heroes of our health- in secrecy adds insult to injury. care system, caring for both sick and Independent Media reported this healthy individuals across the world. week that Kobus Pretorius and his The global Covid-19 pandemic has father, Dr Lets Pretorius, were quietly shown the world the important role released on parole last year after serv- that nurses play in keeping people ing seven years of their 20-year jail healthy across the lifespan. terms. As our country combats the pan- They and others were found guilty demic, it has been proven that nurses of preparing a home-made bomb play a critical role in keeping the that was to be placed to injure or health-care system functioning and kill then-president The causes of insecurity in well managed . in 2002, while he was on his way to The questions thus arise: What does open a school in Bolobedu, Limpopo. the future of nursing look like? What While the Correctional Services role will nurses play in the future trans- Department confirmed the release of formation of health-care delivery? the two, it has remained silent on The International Council for the criteria used, and why it failed to Nurses (ICN) annually leads the global inform the public about its process and Africa are multifaceted celebrations for International Nurses eventual decision to release the two. Day, which is observed on May 12. The In a country where dozens of its African countries could be caught celebration marks the anniversary of freedom fighters are still in jail for COMMENT in proxy wars between the US and its the birth of the nursing trailblazer and having helped liberate their compa- enemies. pioneer, Florence Nightingale. triots, the release of the rightwingers, African governments will tend to The theme for this year’s Inter- and the manner in which it has been be influenced in decision-making. This national Nurses Day is “A Vision for handled, raise serious questions about can happen through the application Future Health Care”, This implies that selective application of the law by our of hard and soft power instruments. nurses should continue to lead in care authorities. Take, for example, former This may lead to securitisation and delivery, and at the same time take Azanian People’s Liberation Army mil- militarisation of policy whereby scarce responsibility to transform health care itary commander Kenny Motsamaiza- resources which should be directed and to cast a vision for health care. nian People’s Liberation Army military to critical sectors may be diverted to Nurse innovation in the face of an commander Kenny Motsamai’s case. KESTER ONOR military spending. unprecedented global pandemic and He spent 28 years in jail for killing a The American large military indus- health crisis will be the focus of the white police officer in 1989. trial complex might lobby its govern- 2021 nurses’ celebrations. Motsamai, who is now an EFF MP, NIGERIAN President Muhammadu ment to create instability in Africa to According to the Institute of Med- was sentenced to two life sentences Buhari has asked the US to move its enable them to market its arsenals. icine Report published in 2010, it was before his release from Boksburg military headquarters overseeing Africa We’ve seen this in Saudi Arabia and then reported that nurses will lead prison on parole in June 2018. Unlike to the continent, from Germany. This is the United Arab Emirates. the future. The report highlighted the the two rightwingers’ secret release, to better tackle growing armed violence The establishment of a large Amer- need for more nurses to study towards Motsamai’s parole was treated as a in the region. The Conversation Africa’s ican military institution on the con- degrees and to pursue speciality nurs- public matter by the government. Wale Fatade asked peace and security tinent may truncate Africa’s nascent ing degrees, including doctoral degrees. Even after his release, the authori- expert Kester Onor about the implications A US soldier carries his belongings to a waiting truck at a military camp on the outskirts of democracies. It undermines the estab- In , nurses have the ties kept a watchful eye on Motsamai. of this request. Niamey, Niger. | The Conversation lishment and growth of civil society. opportunity to further their qualifi- At some point, he was briefly re-ar- It also creates avenues for military cation mix and skill sets by means rested for breaching his parole con- What do you think of President technical assistance, intelligence gath- ditional pardon to Niger Delta mili- incursion in politics. The Command of enrolling for a new undergraduate ditions after taking part in a protest. Buhari’s request that the US should ering and logistics to Nigerian troops tants who agreed to lay down arms and will involve military training and this Bachelor and Diploma in Nursing. The question now is: Why are the move its Africa Command headquar- engaged in different operations locally. assemble at screening centres. There can encourage coups. Nurses who specialise will be lead- authorities handling the release of Pre- ters to the continent? But asking it to put boots on the was also cohesion among the security ing the future of nursing. Their skills torius and his son differently from that The request that the US should ground may be detrimental to Afri- personnel in previous governments Considering the growing security and knowledge will make them one of of Motsamai? In addition to their fail- relocate Africom headquarters to Africa cans. Africom is a component of the and superb inter-agency collaboration. challenges in West and Central the most prominent pillars that uphold ure to release anti-apartheid prisoners, contradicts the previous position taken US Department of Defence and State The US has not said whether the Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad our health-care system. the suspicious manner in which the by most African heads of governments Department. The US Defence Depart- request will be granted or not. But I region and the Sahel, weighing The trajectory of the future in Boeremag case was handled says a lot when it was created. Africom was ment places emphasis on traditional suspect it will, as this has always been heavily on Africa, is the relocation health care and nursing points towards about the government’s commitment formed in 2007. It was formed as a security imperatives that secure the its desire. an answer to these challenges? increased digitalisation. Innovations to the principle of equality before the structure devoted to Africa (excluding state – guns and wars – rather than the It will not ameliorate or eradicate such as the internet of things, artificial law. Quite frankly, it points to selective Egypt) as part of US national secu- principles of human security. What are the implications of Afri- insecurity bedevilling Africa. The intelligence and robotics are becoming application of the law. rity strategy. It became operational The general fear is that highly cen- com headquarters moving to Africa? present insecurity in Africa is the increasingly integrated into all indus- in 2008. tralised states with dictatorial leaders The implications are far-reaching. consequence of misrule, corruption tries, with health care being a leader African policymakers, scholars and may further be militarised. This will be We are in a multipolar world with and endemic poverty. Also, bad gov- among them. media resisted putting the command to the detriment of citizens. China, US, Russia, India and France ernance, gross marginalisation and As a crucial part of the system, headquarters in Africa. They said Nigeria initially rejected the US set- struggling to expand their spheres of political exclusion. nurses share a lot of contact time with it would undermine the precarious ting up a military base in the country influence. Just like China established These cannot be resolved by the patient, thus bridging the gap between FOUNDED 1898 human security situation on the con- and in West Africa. Now insurgency, its first overseas base in Djibouti, other mere relocation of a military insti- the traditional and new-age divide of Editor Piet Rampedi tinent. They cited previous US military banditry and terrorism have escalated foreign powers will probably follow tution to Africa. They are challenges technology with skill, understanding Newsdesk 012 300 2107 forays in Africa which led to a dispro- beyond manageable proportions due the same direction, thereby making caused by underdevelopment. and frequent interaction. Advertising 012 300 2200 portionate development of military to acute deprivation and the inability the continent a war zone. Insecurity causes are multifaceted, Nursing schools globally are Subscriptions 0860 326 262 institutions relative to instruments of of the ruling class to allocate available The US military has intervened in therefore the solution lies in structural embracing technology and digitalisa- Deliveries 0860 326 262 civilian rule. resources equitably. many countries, thereby creating ene- reformation of African society. The tion by means of tele-health, mobile Mail: PO Box 439, Pretoria 0001 Others saw Africom as a naked This is seen in a lack of politi- mies. Examples are Iraq, Syria, Afghan- plural nature of African states demands application with the latest clinical E-mail: [email protected] attempt to exert American control cal will to confront and address the istan, Libya and Mali. The relocation structural reforms. Reforms that will practice guideline at hand on the clini- Web: iol.co.za/Pretoria News over African resources. African lead- pathology of insecurity in Nigeria. Pre- of Africom headquarters to Africa will entrench constitutionalism, the rule cal platform, virtual simulation, second Facebook: facebook.com/ ers argued that Washington’s concern vious administrations were pragmatic expose the continent to attacks from of law, and political inclusion. | www. life simulation scenarios, using haptic PretoriaNewsSA about African development was just a in handling national issues. President several fronts. Islamic fundamental- theconversation.com devices and electronic data capturing Twitter: @Pretorianews cover for asserting power. Olusegun Obasanjo banned a radical ists might attack in ways perceived and patient interface systems. Instagram: @pretoria.news Buhari’s request for Africom’s Yoruba organisation, Odua Peoples to inflict pain on the US government Onor is a lecturer in the Department Nursing and health informatics’ assistance in tackling the country’s Congress, even though it was formed and citizens. of Political Science and International growing role is changing the way nurses security challenges may seem good in by his own Yoruba people. President An example is the 1998 bombing of Relations at Covenant University in record and communicate patient infor- some aspects. These include providing Umaru Yar'Adua also offered an uncon- US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Nigeria mation, how care is co-ordinated, and GROUP OMBUD the development of evidence-based Yogas Nair practices is orchestrated. [email protected] LETTERS The Covid-19 pandemic high- Complaints can be sent to: lighted the enormous strain experi- Office of The Group Ombud (Arbitration) enced by the health system. [email protected] Email [email protected] (no attachments). All letters must contain the writer’s full name, physical address and telephone number. No pen names. However, in response to this pres- Legal matters [email protected] sure, nurses as the largest provider of Subscription Complaints and non delivery health care took the responsibility to [email protected] I NOTE from a letter by Mr Mfezeko Clearing up confusion about Zulu institutions full story of Sobukwe’s funeral. I was lead, advice, care and spearhead the https://www.independentmediaombud.co.za/ Bunu (Cape Times, May 6) that he asked there by the leadership of the revolution of the health-care system. is “perplexed” about my title of it “suggests that all the Zulu-speaking Zwelithini for almost 50 years. PAC. Sobukwe’s family asked me to Nurses are at the heart of patient The Pretoria News is printed by Paarl Coldset, 83 Heidelberg Road, , Gauteng. The traditional Prime Minister to the people support the principles that The position of prime minister, deliver the oration. care; they are a linchpin for health copyright in the literary and artistic works contained in Zulu Monarch and Nation. Allow me (I) stand for”, is based on a flawed like the position of king, has nothing Tragically, however, some thugs reform and a vital link in transforming this newspaper and its supplements, as well as in the to assist. premise. to do with politics. Thus, regardless who were dissatisfied with the pace delivery of care. published editions and any other content Or material (including in any online version), belongs He is right that this position does If anyone disagrees with the of who governs, the institution of of our Struggle threatened lives and As we celebrate International exclusively to Independent Newspapers (Pty) Limited not match the Western “English” king’s principles, should he no the monarchy and Ubukhosi remains. disrupted the funeral. Nurses Day 2021, let’s recognise nurses unless otherwise stated. The copyright, including the definition of a prime minister. But longer be called the king? I am part of that institution by birth, Twenty years later, in recognition as “the voice to lead, who has the reproduction and adaptation of any content or material contained in this newspaper and its supplements, that does not disqualify the position. Granted, not everyone agrees blood and appointment. of my leadership and friendship with ability to vision and transform future is expressly reserved to the publisher, Independent Under colonial rule, the British with social justice, democracy and Mr Bunu is right that I was not Sobukwe, the PAC invited me to health care”. Newspapers (Pty) Limited, under Section 12(7) of the reduced AmaKhosi to “tribal chiefs” honest leadership. one of apartheid’s “stooges” [the deliver the memorial address at his Copyright Act of 1978. The circulation of the and the king to a “paramount chief”. But that has nothing to do with regime did not offer Buthelezi any grave in Graaff-Reinet. I encourage Professor Jordan is the executive head Pretoria News is certified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations,which can be contacted at PO Box 47189, That does not change their why I bear this title. I was appointed protection at Robert Sobukwe’s Mr Bunu to read my address. of the Department of Nursing and Parklands, 2121, South Africa or Suite 5, Ground factual existence. Mr Bunu’s opinion, by King Cyprian Bhekuzulu, the King funeral in Graaff-Reinet in 1978, PRINCE Midwifery in the Faculty of Medicine Floor, 158 Jan Smuts, 9 Walters Ave, Rosebank, 2196, that I shouldn’t be “given” the title of the Zulu Nation, and served in which he was forced to leave by | MP and Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu and Health sciences at Stellenbosch Johannesburg. Cover price: R10.00 (includes VAT at 15%) of traditional prime minister because this position under King Goodwill angry residents]. But he lacks the monarch and Zulu nation University.