The union's Lerato Mthunzi, explains that the department filed a request for an urgent interdict to prevent the union from taking part in demonstrations demanding that the health department repair Henrietta Stockdale Nursing College (HSNC), which is the only nursing college in the entire province that has been serving the community since 1889.

“HSNC is facing closure because the Northern Cape Health Department has failed to build proper infrastructure for the school. The school does not have a library, students learn out of containers and temporary structures,” Mthunzi added.

Mthunzi said that the toilets are in a terrible condition and frequently do not function properly. The school's infrastructure is essentially nonexistent. In addition, there are not enough teachers to go around and there are inadequate instructional materials for the students.

“The court dismissed the application on the basis that Judge President Tlaletsi was not convinced that YNITU posed any threat to the Department and he found no reason why the interdict should be made permanent. The application was dismissed with costs,” Mthunzi said.

She added that they demand that the Northern Cape health department stop wasting further tax money on pointless court filings. “We urge them to put their attention on fixing HSNC and ensuring that the institution can carry out its duty of providing top-notch instruction for healthcare professionals across the province.”

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