The University of Venda’s Faculty of Health Sciences recently visited the South African Military Health Service to discuss the improvement and the already existing Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). This MoA has already benefited several students who are from a poor background, and these students have secured permanent jobs within the South African Military Health Service. This meeting recently took place at the South African Military Health Service Headquarters, Pretoria.
Some of the preamble of this MoA is that the South African Military Health Service provides professional experience to UNIVEN Biokinetics students in their Biokinetics practical training.
A proposal was made by SAMHS to various universities in South Africa to admit and train their members in Nursing. UNIVEN is the first university to accept the proposal of this nature from the South African Military Health Service with 4 students being admitted in Advanced Nursing Science during the 2025 intake.
In her opening and welcome remarks, Director: Military Health Nursing, Brig General AE Ma-kumbane gave the delegates the background of the South African Military Health Service, where she highlighted the responsibilities of the South African Military Health Service on lo-cal, international, regional, national, and departmental levels. Brig General Makumbane high-lighted that “we are all placed by God in the positions that we have occupied, and we need to serve our people by making an impact in other people’s lives”. She said, for them it is not only about being in military uniform but about making an impact in other people’s lives. This en-visaged MoU will change the lives of people who need this change to improve their lives.
UNIVEN’s Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof MT Mulaudzi, expressed that UNIVEN believes in collaborations, and like many other collaborations that this Universi-ty has, the project will bear the fruits that we all wish for and will benefit this country. Prof Mulaudzi thanked the South African Military Health Service for providing this Integrated Learn-ing opportunity to UNIVEN students. “We thank you for giving hope to UNIVEN students. We take pride in what we do while training students who are in both private and public spaces, serving South Africans and beyond the borders.” She told the meeting that UNIVEN produc-es graduates that are employable both locally and internationally. Prof Mulaudzi appreci-ated the opportunity to partner with SAMHS to improve the lives of South Africans. “Our ex-pectations have been met, and we are happy about the finalisation of this MoU,” she said.
Prof Lindelani Mushaphi highlighted the programmes that UNIVEN offers whilst highlighting ar-eas of possible collaboration.
The meeting was chaired by Col, MA Mapukata, who mentioned that both UNIVEN and the South African Military Health Service have similarities in terms of their visions, missions, and values.
The delegates agreed on the time frames for the finalisation of the MoU. The MoU will be signed physically during the signing ceremony on the date that will be agreed upon by both parties.
This MoU will benefit both UNIVEN and the South African Military Health Ser-vice; it is not based on only giving, but on the exchange of benefits. It will in-clude student and staff exchange agreement. The MoU will be based on teach-ing and learning, community engagement, research and development.
Attendees of the meeting
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