Protest

24
Nov 2021
9:01 UTC

South Africa Tactical: Denosa Student Movement slated to hold protest march in Pretoria on November 25; maintain vigilance

Please be advised

  • According to the official poster published on social media, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) Student Movement is slated to hold a protest march in Pretoria on November 25. 
  • Protesters are slated to gather at the Burgers Park and then march to the South African Nursing Council (SANC). At the time of writing, the exact route, as well as the time of the protest march, remains unspecified.
  • The slated protest march is being organized to demand the reinstatement of the Personal and Salary System (PERSAL), which was replaced by the bursary system that has affected the overall economic condition of the nursing students. 
  • Protesters are slated to deliver a memorandum of their demands to the SANC.

Assessments & Forecast

  1. The slated protest march denotes the students’ heightened frustration with the government’s decision to adopt the bursary system, which has replaced pension funds, medical aid subsidy, remuneration for working on weekends, and a monthly stipend provided in the previous PERSAL system. This development has further strained the economic conditions of the students amid an already weakened economy, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also severely affected the medical sector.
  2. FORECAST: Given the students’ heightened grievances, the protest march is likely to attract participation between mid-to-high dozens. Although the protest is expected to occur peacefully, the sensitive nature of the venue in Pretoria’s Central Business District (CBD) suggests a bolstered security presence to monitor the proceedings. That said, the security forces are liable to use forcible measures of dispersal such as tear gas, arrests, and batons if the protesters are perceived to behave in an unruly manner or fail to follow COVID-19 regulations. 

Recommendations

Those operating or residing in Pretoria on November 25 are advised to maintain vigilance in the vicinity of the Burgers Park and the South African Nursing Council (SANC) due to the slated protest march and distant potential for unrest.

COUNTRY RISK LEVEL Medium
AFFECTED AREA Pretoria, South Africa
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Confirmed

Please be advised

  • According to the official poster published on social media, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) Student Movement is slated to hold a protest march in Pretoria on November 25. 
  • Protesters are slated to gather at the Burgers Park and then march to the South African Nursing Council (SANC). At the time of writing, the exact route, as well as the time of the protest march, remains unspecified.
  • The slated protest march is being organized to demand the reinstatement of the Personal and Salary System (PERSAL), which was replaced by the bursary system that has affected the overall economic condition of the nursing students. 
  • Protesters are slated to deliver a memorandum of their demands to the SANC.

Assessments & Forecast

  1. The slated protest march denotes the students’ heightened frustration with the government’s decision to adopt the bursary system, which has replaced pension funds, medical aid subsidy, remuneration for working on weekends, and a monthly stipend provided in the previous PERSAL system. This development has further strained the economic conditions of the students amid an already weakened economy, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also severely affected the medical sector.
  2. FORECAST: Given the students’ heightened grievances, the protest march is likely to attract participation between mid-to-high dozens. Although the protest is expected to occur peacefully, the sensitive nature of the venue in Pretoria’s Central Business District (CBD) suggests a bolstered security presence to monitor the proceedings. That said, the security forces are liable to use forcible measures of dispersal such as tear gas, arrests, and batons if the protesters are perceived to behave in an unruly manner or fail to follow COVID-19 regulations. 

Recommendations

Those operating or residing in Pretoria on November 25 are advised to maintain vigilance in the vicinity of the Burgers Park and the South African Nursing Council (SANC) due to the slated protest march and distant potential for unrest.

COUNTRY RISK LEVEL Medium
AFFECTED AREA Pretoria, South Africa
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Confirmed