City honours nursing fraternity on International Nurses Day
12 May 2026
Today is International Nurses Day and the City’s Health Department celebrates the dedication ,and commitment of its 689 nurses who serve communities across Cape Town.
This year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” highlights the importance of strengthening and supporting nurses through safe, fair working conditions, and by elevating their voice and leadership in the healthcare environment.
‘Nurses are the backbone of our primary healthcare system. Empowering our nurses means strengthening the entire healthcare system, communities and ultimately saving lives,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
The City’s nursing complement is aged between 23 and 64 and includes 50 male nurses. They represent a diverse and highly skilled workforce. Their qualifications range from Enrolled Nursing Assistants to Clinical Nurse Practitioners and Professional Nurses, many of whom are equipped to diagnose, treat, and manage illnesses at primary healthcare level. Day to day, City nurses are at the frontline of the services that matter most to our communities. This includes immunisations, maternal and child health, family planning, TB and HIV care, mental health support, and the management of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
As part of this year’s commemoration, City Health nurses are renewing their pledge to serve humanity with compassion, dignity, and integrity. This symbolic act reaffirms their commitment to placing the health and well-being of patients first, treating every person with respect and care, and upholding the honour and noble tradition of the nursing profession.
In line with this year’s theme, the City is strengthening the role of nurses not only as caregivers, but as compassionate leaders within the healthcare system. Continued investment in training, wellness, and professional development helps ensure that nurses are supported in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care to every resident who walks through the doors of a City clinic.
City Health staff also participate in Caring Conversations – an initiative that creates space for reflection, emotional support, and meaningful connection among colleagues and patients alike. These engagements reinforce the empathy, respect, and human connection that remain at the heart of nursing.
‘To our nurses – thank you for the compassion, dignity, and humanity you bring to your work every single day. Whether comforting a patient, supporting a family, or caring for communities in times of uncertainty, your service changes lives in profound ways. By renewing your pledge, you reaffirm your commitment to caring without prejudice, protecting human dignity, and placing the well-being of others at the centre of everything you do. You are not only caregivers, but trusted pillars of hope and healing in our communities,’ added Councillor Higham.
Caption 1: City Health nurses and Councillor Higham (sixth from left, back row) during an event to renew the Nurses Pledge.
Caption 2 and 3 : Images of previous events
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
