St Mary’s Hospital Nursing College faces uncertainty as the South African Nursing Council suspends its Diploma in Nursing programme.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
Students at St Mary’s Hospital Nursing College are currently caught in a three-week waiting game following revelations about the institution’s accreditation status with the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
The SANC immediately suspended the Diploma in Nursing (R.171) programme for the 2026 cohort at the college.
According to Lungisani Khanyile, the Student Representative Council (SRC) chairperson, the future of the 57 students (30 first-year and 27 second-year) enrolled in the diploma programme hangs in the balance as school management meets with SANC on Thursday and Friday.
He stated that teaching and learning had commenced at the college last year. SANC forms were filled out, and they paid for the SANC numbers. An inquiry, prompted by the college being unlisted on the SANC database, led the college to confirm it had only conditional accreditation and was working toward full status.
“We moved on from that point, and then they told us this year, when the year was beginning, that they would have full accreditation by June, and by then they would appear on the SANC database,” Khanyile said.
He said that last week, a circular from SANC came out, and it was shared by a parent in their college WhatsApp group, who was concerned about the college’s accreditation status.
“As the circular states, if a school is not fully accredited, it cannot have students practising in clinics and hospitals,” Khanyile said.
“It sparked a lot of questions between us because we have been practising since last year, going to hospitals, and the school is still not fully accredited, and it’s not appearing.”
Khanyile said they requested a meeting with the college and asked for an open meeting (for parents and students) on Wednesday.
“That is when we also learned that the school was not technically allowed or supposed to enrol any students at all until they were fully accredited,” Khanyile said.
“The school showed us paperwork regarding their communication with the nursing council, and we actually found that the nursing council had reached the point where they actually wanted to suspend the diploma programme as a whole.”
Khanyile added that for now, there is a pause on everything for about three weeks.
“They promised us that they will come back with a response, whether we continue with teaching and learning or if we get a negative result, that’s when we talk about maybe reallocation of students to fully accredited nursing institutions or the reimbursement of their money,” Khanyile said.
“Right now, it’s just a waiting game for all of us.”
In a circular signed on April 15, 2026, the SANC reminded nursing education institutions (NEIs) to comply with accreditation regulations. The council noted concern over NEIs commencing training without registering learners, stressing that unregistered learners must not access clinical placement areas.
St Mary’s Hospital Nursing College said: “The matter is with our statutory body, which is the SANC, so there are no comments for now.”
SANC Registrar and CEO Professor Ntombifikile Mtshali said the college commencing training without obtaining full accreditation from SANC led to the suspension of the programme.
Mtshali said the college failed to comply with the following legislative and regulatory provisions:
She said that these frameworks collectively require that:
“The remedial action rests with the Nursing Education Institution and any legal matter that may ensue,” Mtshali said about the future of the students.
Denosa KZN Secretary Andile Mbeje said that students who had been enrolled are currently not attending training, and are expected to remain at home pending the outcome of engagements between the college and the SANC regarding the possible lifting of the suspension.
He said the interests of students must be prioritised in any decision taken, including consideration relating to refunds, alternative placement, or continuation of training where possible.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za