The journey of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) dates back to October 1914 when the first association of nurses, Satna, was formed.

By 1993 there were a total of 21 race-based associations representing more than 150000 nurses of all races in South Africa.

In 1993 a major nurses conference in Durban brought together representatives of many of the different associations.

The gathering was a major victory for those who had led efforts to bring unity to the nursing profession.

The Durban conference proved to be a major turning point which would lead to three years of negotiations.

These discussions culminated in the launch of the first united and nonracial organisation representing the interests of nurses in South Africa, Denosa.

For the first time in 1996, the nursing profession spoke with one voice.

The nursing profession in South Africa has come under siege from foreign countries trying to recruit our nurses to bolster health care systems in their own countries.

Denosa has made nursing attractive by improving the status of the nurse in the country. It has also influenced policy-making in the health sector, and it has worked consistently to improve the working conditions of health workers in general.

Denosa is now a solid, voluntary organisation for nurses and nursing in the country.

Denosa also aims to promote, develop, empower and support nurses and midwives to the benefit of the nursing profession and health for all.