11 October 2021
News | 3
Compulsory COVID-19 vaccination for health science students Manelisi Magoro
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he South African Committee of Medical Deans (SACoMD) and the South African Committee of Dental Deans (SACODD) have recommended compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations
for all health science students and health care workers, including those in training for professions in the health care sector. This will also serve as protection vaccination for dental care students and workers who are exposed to high-level Aerosol Generating procedures which increase the risk of exposure to pathogens and infection. SACoMD and SACODD report that approximately 40% of health workers were infected with the virus during the first wave. They are highly exposed to COVID-19 in their work environment which makes them more vulnerable to infection and development
of symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Infection of health workers increases the risk of transmission to their family or household members and those in their community. “Vaccination of healthcare workers transcends individual benefit and has major benefits for the broader health facility, which includes colleagues and patients whose lives are entrusted to their care”, says the South African Committee of Medical Deans and the South African Committee of Dental Deans. SACoMD and SACODD appeal to the immediate vaccination of adults against COVID-19, and compulsory vaccination of health science students and health workers to ensure the safety of patients and the general community.
Student challenges: expectations of the newly elected SRC Amukelani Makamu and Susanna Anbu
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s the end of the 2021 academic year draws near, the SRC has been elected for 2022. PDBY has interviewed students at UP about their expectations of the newly elected SRC. Issues that were raised include queer inclusivity in the university, international student challenges and financial exclusions. The following students were interviewed: Vice-Chairperson of House Humanities, Sicelo Ngwenya, an international student, Tariro Chidharara and queer activist, Nande Flatela. International Students: Challenges, data and financial exclusions Chidharara told PDBY that she has experienced a lot of challenges as an international student, especially in terms of applications for different opportunities on campus. Chidharara further explained that “by coming to [the] University of Pretoria in South Africa, coming from Zimbabwe I thought we were just equal students at school. I found out that everything you want to apply [for] like SRC student-aid - they say international students are excluded.” Chidharara further expressed that she feels discriminated against every time she sees such statements. “I assume since we all pay tuition fees we would have equal opportunities on campus, regardless of where
you come from. Sometimes when international students complain a statement like ‘international students may apply’, this statement makes us doubt that something positive will come out after applying.” Chidharara added that she would like the University and the newly elected SRC to see all students as ‘one people’ and not use phrases such as ‘international students may also do this’ but rather phrases such as ‘all students’. “I think international students’ tuition fees should be [reduced]because, as for now, we are buying data on our own. It’s unfair to pay the same amount of fees with people who are getting data every month”, Chidharara explained regarding the free data that the university provides to local students.. . Chidharara suggested that the university can open a financial aid portal for international students to help fund for their tuition fees to reduce the amount of financial exclusions. Ngwenya told PDBY that it would be better if the SRC advocated for policy changes to allow students to finish their courses/degrees even if they are financially excluded then withhold the qualification until the student settles the debt instead of blocking the student from finishing their degree because of financial exclusion. Queer Inclusivity Ngwenya said that he believes that the
university is doing its best to be more inclusive of queer students, but believes that more could be done and that there is always room for improvement. Flatela echoed this sentiment by stating that “the university still has a lot of work to do in terms of the inclusion of the queer community”. Ngwenya expressed that as much as the university might have a policy against discrimination and trans-protocol, “policy does not mean implementation”. He explained that “implementation of policy is what’s important, and that’s what the SRC should strive for”. Flatela suggested that the inclusion of the trans community in all aspects of the university experience should be prioritised by ensuring that the campus bathrooms do not follow a binary system and promote the availability of better health-care of queer people at large. A lot of students have various opinions on their ideal SRC and the change they would like to see within the student body. community. For more information on the SRC, students can visit or contact the SRC on instagram @ up_src or student development on instagram @ upstudentdevelopment.
Intervarsity News University of Cape Town (UCT)
83% of UCT’s senate have voted in favour of a policy that will make vaccines mandatory for the intuition’s students from 2022. The final decision as to whether to adopt the policy currently sits with the University’s council. 132 members of the senate voted in favour of the policy, 32 voted against while 5 were abstentions. To date, Stellenbosch University (SU), and University of Johannesburg (UJ), have both considered mandatory vaccination policies, but no final decision has been taken.
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
UJ recently acquired a highly advanced robot dog named SPOT that has the capacity to exhibit movements that mimic a real dog. SPOT weighs approximately 35 kg, possesses four high tech cameras and can also respond to prompts and instructions. Built by Boston Dynamics in the United States of America, this robot marks a pioneering move into the field of artificial intelligence. SPOT’s movements allow it to navigate complex terrain with high throughput mobility.
University of Free State (UFS)
Two UFS students were killed in a robbery near the campus vicinity. The incident was said to have taken place around 00:40. The students were attacked by robbers clad in balaclavas near their rental accommodation. A police docket has been opened to investigate two murders, house robbery and two attempted murders. Two other students on the scene, who were in critical condition, were rushed to Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Khoisan group protest at Union Buildings Mothusi Mokalane
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or almost three years, a group of Khoikhoi and San indigenous people have been staging a sit-in protest on the Union Buildings lawns in Pretoria. Leader, King Chief Khoisan SA, and his followers trekked for approximately five weeks from the Cape to Pretoria, with hopes of speaking to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his cabinet about gaining legitimacy as an indigenous group and as true natives of South Africa. King Khoisan SA’s demands to the President are, inter alia, the removal of the term “coloured” from their identification particulars. According to King Khoisan SA, the term is derogatory and they deem it a racial slur. Another demand is the addition of the Khoisan languages to the official state languages. The protest has been taking place for almost three years now, yet President Ramaphosa has not had any engagement with them. “I find him to be a very arrogant man. We have been on these lawns for years now and not once has he ever crossed the road to come and engage us”, said King Khoisan SA. In November 2019, President Ramaphosa signed the Traditional and Khoisan Leadership Bill into law. The Bill seeks to transform traditional and Khoisan institutions in accordance with constitutional imperatives, such as the Bill of Rights. This is done to restore the integrity and legitimacy of the institutions of traditional and Khoisan leadership in line with customary law and practices. Irrespective of this Act by the government, King Khoisan SA and his followers are still not satisfied. According to the Chief, the Bill is old and it was previously referred to as the Traditional Leadership Bill, but now they have included the term “Khoisan” to make it seem more accommodating. The protest still continued, even after the signing of the Bill because, according King Khoisan SA, the Bill does not state and acknowledge the Khoisan as the first
nation of the country and the rightful owners of the land. Dr Gairoonisa Paleker, a University of Pretoria senior lecturer in the Department of Heritage and Historical Studies, stated that everyone has a right to a peaceful protest (emphasis on peaceful) for what they believe to be injustices. “With specific reference to the Khoisan, I think the Khoisan are among the most marginalised South Africans so perhaps they have more to protest about”, Dr Paleker noted. Dr Paleker also indicated that the word ‘justified’ can be viewed as relative - with different people believing something is justified, while others believe it to be unjustified: “I think a more useful term to use is whether their demands are realistic and realisable. If one thinks of the demands in these terms then some are definitely realistic while others may be less realistic. The demand for recognition as the First Peoples is realistic even though it may be politically contested. The demand for official status for Khoekhoe, the Khoisan language, is also realistic. However, the demand for all expropriated Khoisan land is less realistic.” As a scholar, Dr Paleker is of the belief that indeed the Khoisan are the first nation of South Africa. Dr Paleker motivated this by stating that “there is archaeological and historical evidence that would indeed confirm that they were the original inhabitants and most certainly the first people whom the Dutch encountered at the Cape”. According to Dr Paleker, the delegitimisation of the Khoisan can be attributed to their relatively small size of the population. Historically, many Khoisan were killed through exposure to European diseases, and through conflict with the early settlers and other Black groups. Another important contributing factor has been the way in which Khoisan have been viewed by both European settlers and other Black groups. These views are on a spectrum that either romanticise the Khoisan as ‘man in his natural state, at one with nature’ or demonise them as ‘shiftless’,
‘lazy’, ‘thieving’, etc. On the aspect of the President and the government not engaging with the Khoisan protesters, Dr Paleker stated that it is an unfair act by the state. “I think their struggle and certainly their tenacity and persistence- they have been camped out there now for almost three years - deserves respect and acknowledgement from the government in the form of a serious engagement with them.” Dr Paleker suggests that scholars can indeed assist the protesters with getting their demands adhered to. “Well, as scholars and academics we can certainly contribute by producing more knowledge about Khoisan history, their way of life, culture, language, etc”. She went on to add that she “visited them in February 2019 and spoke to King Khoisan SA to hear first-hand what their protest was about. Since that first visit, I have visited twice more in 2019 but only to take food and blankets. I have not visited them again since the onset of COVID-19”. When asked what she thinks the impact of the government answering to the demands of the Khoisan will be on the country generally, Dr Paleker responded by stating that “this is a difficult question to answer, because it involves a bit of prophecy and I am no prophet. But realistically I don’t think the government will meet their demands, certainly not on the question of land.”
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