SACP District Working Committee member, Elizabeth Khoza, was addressing 500 nurses who attended the celebration of International Nurses Day at Church on the Hill in KaMagugu near Mbombela on Thursday afternoon.

“I am here to talk about non-racialism. They are unable to swallow their pride and sit with you to enjoy this day because some of them hold higher positions in the medical field. They are oppressing you people. Let us stand up and free ourselves,” said Khoza, to loud cheers.

Only one white nurse could be seen among the nurses who attended the celebration.

Khoza added that black nurses were not enjoying democracy in the workplace.

“Comrades, are we free in this democracy? We are not free comrades, because we do not get what we want. Before we get increment, we must fight; before you get a promotion, somewhere you have to pay under the table… We are working very hard so that we can able to be successful,” she said.

Khoza said unity was only a lip service that was not practised in the nursing profession.

“We have the National Democratic Revolution and we talk about unity, we talk about non-racialism, we talk about sexism, we talk about democracy and we talk about prosperity. Are we united comrades. If we are not, we need to unite ourselves. The word Nyanza had a meaning that if we are united we can conquer, but if we are like this, we can’t. Let us sing one word, as workers; let us not sell each other as workers. Non-racialism? I only see blacks here. Do you see whites? Where are they? Few? How many?” said Khoza.

– African Eye News Service