Even though the Mpumalanga Department of Health has said there were no issues reported pertaining to this year’s intake of trainee nurses, the EFF has vowed to monitor the process.

This party had exposed corruption in the Mpumalanga Traffic College’s 2021 trainee traffic officials’ intake. A number of young people from outside Mpumalanga, who were allegedly related to top politicians in the province, were absorbed into this programme, leaving deserving local youth out in the cold.

Following the EFF’s pressure, the Mpumalanga premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, had the process reversed and started afresh.

The Mpumalanga Department of Health has confirmed that the trainee nurses processes had been completed, with students already called to report to the Mpumalanga Nursing College. The department said 70 students had been absorbed into the programme.

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“We are closely monitoring the process and we are going to ensure that deserving young local people have been absorbed instead of governmental and ANC members’ close relatives. This programme is for all young people of the province, and it must benefit them regardless of political affiliation. We are going to ask for all the documentation and thoroughly verify the process,” said Collen Sedibe, the provincial EFF’s leader.

He argued that they are aware that the ANC may want to influence and hijack the process so they can buy votes, seeing as the country is headed for the elections in May.

He also urged the public and anyone who might have been asked for bribes to be absorbed into the programme by corrupt government officials to approach the EFF and report it.

“We are working with the police, the Hawks and even the Special Investigation Unit, because we want to end corruption. And so if you know of young people who were conned or asked for bribes, please come to us and we will gladly help you, because the EFF is the only organisation fighting for the people,” said Sedibe.

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He also invited everyone, especially young people, to attend their provincial manifesto launch to be held at the KaNyamazane Stadium on March 9, where he said more plans to create jobs, fight corruption and get back the land will be revealed.