The Department of Social Development unites with the rest of the world in commemorating the 2022 annual International Nurses Day in recognition of the important role nurses play in people's lives and in improving healthcare. 
Newly appointed Deputy Director for Nursing under the Institutions Directorate, Simanga Khumalo, is one of the nurse's that has a passion and a love for his field of work and believes that all nurses should be celebrated.

Khumalo (45) expresses that his passion for Nursing came just after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. 

"While my mother was in hospital, I saw how the nurses took care of her with compassion and love which made me fall in love with the profession", Khumalo explained.

He obtained his Nursing diploma at BG Alexander Nursing college, where he was a student for four years and proceeded to obtain his honors qualification in Nursing Administration and Education at the University of Johannesburg. After graduating, Khumalo worked as Operational Manager at Helen Joseph Hospital and received a promotion and became an Assistant Director in Nursing at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Just before he joined the department, he was a Deputy Director for nursing at the Dr George Mukhari Academic hospital. He currently oversees more than 300 nurses located in the department's various institution.

Khumalo is driven by the zeal and love he has for nursing and aims to restore the culture of serving amongst the nurses. "Nurses are seen as rude, but I hope that I can change that narrative by restoring the culture of serving in whatever way I can", says Khumalo.

In honor of International Nurses Day, Khumalo believes that nurses should be given an opportunity to rediscover themselves and aim to be more respectful, ethical, and passionate within their field. Overall, nurses continue to be the backbone in providing primary care, particularly at the grassroots level in clinics, hospitals, and in our department's various institutions.