Following president Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Sunday, March 15, that the country is in a state of natural disaster, many universities have had to reconsider their operations. Ramaphosa announced that schools would be closing but left the decision around the running of universities to the department of higher education, and training, science and technology. Minister Blade Nzimande announced on March 17 the plans for institutions of higher learning.
It was announced that post-school institutions will be closed for early recess with effect from March 18. This included the normal planned institutional breaks. Wits university had already announced an early recess following the testing of a positive COVID-19 case at the university. The university also announced that they would be asking all students to vacate their residences within 72 hours.
Last week Wits University students raised concerns about the university not providing alternative accommodation due to the COVID-19 evacuations. The university announced that it had made special arrangements for students.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and the state of natural disaster declared in South Africa, Wits University made the decision to evacuate all residences. However, the decision has been met with unhappiness by many students.
On Sunday, Wits said all the residence students had left the campuses except those with special arrangements who would be leaving by Monday, March 23. A letter from the campus housing previously advised students that March 19 would be their last day to vacate the residences. The letter went on to say that all services to the residences will be stopped due to the university closing its doors. The letter says that a failure to comply would result in a breach of university regulations.
A Wits student had told The Daily Vox that while all the students are aware that the evacuation needs to happen, there are problems that are being ignored. The student said many international students do not have anywhere to go and do not have the resources to find somewhere else to stay. With the travel ban put in place by the president, the students would not be able to travel home. According to the student, the university said they would assist students who didn’t have anywhere else to go.
On Thursday evening, students were informed that they would be provided with alternative housing and no one would be evicted.
Following that initial evacuation decision, two Wits students took the university to court to extend the period of evacuation. This case was reserved judgement by the court with the judge reportedly imploring the applicants and all students to comply with the directives of the president, the World Health Organization and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Wits University said: “We are disappointed that the Court did not award costs against the applicants in a context where their conduct has not only been frivolous and reckless, but resulted in the University having to expend unnecessary resources in legal proceedings.”
Last week Monday, the university of Cape Town (UCT) announced the university would be closing. This was after a member of staff had tested positive. There are currently four reported cases of COVID-19 at the university. The student representative council (SRC) initially raised concerns about the vacating of residences. There were calls for students to “occupy the residences, not vacate.” However, this was later retracted by the SRC leader who said students should follow the directives of the university.
UCT announced they would be helping students through the immediate payment of allowances for all students on financial aid, liaising with the Department of Home Affairs in cases involving international students, securing safe storage for students’ belongings and working with external agencies on travel plans for students. They’ve also chartered buses to transport students to different metros.
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