After a thorough evaluation of the damage caused  to the exam venues on the Bellville campus Executive Management have decided to cancel all examinations on that campus until further notice.

Due to the security situation in Cape Town we will also no longer be bussing students to the exam venues in future.

Any students who would prefer to write their exams in January 2016 has the option to request this from their Head of Department.

We once  again wish to apologise to staff and students for the disruptions caused and will communicate with you again shortly to give you an update on the situation.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

Victims of a fire that ravaged an informal settlement in Strand will be among the recipients of a bed donation from CPUT.

The beds are part of a renovation of one of CPUT’s largest residence, Freedom Square, and in total 1254 beds and mattresses will be donated by December.

The recipients include places of safety for children and women fleeing domestic violence and Ward 85 residents who are rebuilding their homes after the devastating fires earlier this year.

The exchange is being managed by CPUT’s Residence Business Unit in conjunction with the Community Engagement Unit. The recipients were identified by student outreach organisation, The Hope Foundation.

The City of Cape Town’s Tsoarelo Kopolo, who collected the beds from the Bellville campus on Friday, on behalf of the recipients, says the Strand residents were left with absolutely nothing after the fire.

“It will mean a lot to those families because when you have nothing and something big like this comes your way then it’s a big thing. We are very thankful to CPUT.”

CPUT’s Phillip Chibvuri says the value of the current bed donation is in excess of R100 000 with the total of the 2019 bed donation across the institution expected to total roughly R250 000 to charitable organisations.

Written by Lauren Kansley
Tel: +27 21 953 8646
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

The HIV/AIDS Unit will hold the first 2009 Voluntary Counselling and Testing Drive from 9 to 13 March on Bellville Campus and 16 to 24 March on Cape Town Campus.

The initiative, which is rolled out in collaboration with the CPUT Health Clinic, facilitates voluntary HIV testing. Staff and students who participate in the drive get to learn their HIV status and are counselled accordingly.

Bellville Campus

09 March: Freedom Square Residence (16:00 - 21:00)
10 and 11 March: Auditorium (09:00 - 16:00)
12 March: Tygerberg Hospital Dental Technology Dept (09:00 - 16:00)

Cape Town Campus

16 March: Catsville Residence (16:00 - 21:00)
17 and 18 March: Student Center (09:00 - 16:00)
19 March: Granger Bay Campus (09:00 - 16:00)
23 March: Down Town Lodge (DTL) (16:00 - 21:00)
24 March: Elizabeth Womens Residence (EWR) (16:00 - 21:00)

Written by CPUT News
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The Agrifood Technology Station (ATS) has teamed up with the Western Cape Provincial Government in a bid to drive innovation in the food sector.

This collaboration will see the ATS design, develop and roll-out a comprehensive food safety programme, which is aimed at boosting operations at small and medium enterprises.

Thanks to an injection of R1.4million from the Western Cape Provincial Government, this programme will assist 50 local businesses.

Head of the ATS, Larry Dolley, says the programme includes workshops, on-site visits, business planning and various other technical programmes aimed at strengthening the operations of each participating business.

The station, which is located on the CPUT Bellville campus, is well positioned to provide support to small and medium enterprises.

It boasts highly qualified and experienced staff, including scientists, technologists and technical experts.

The station will also rely on its existing network of consultants to participate in various areas of the programme.

For more information on the services offered by the ATS, please contact the station at 021 953 8615

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News

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Celebrations at CPUT are in full swing.

This week, CPUT will celebrate and recognise the achievements of thousands of students, who have successfully completed academic programmes at the university.

Graduation week kicks off this morning on the Cape Town Campus where students who completed programmes in the Business Faculty will take to the stage to receive their qualifications.

This evening hundreds of parents, spouses, partners, guardians and other supporters of graduates are expected to attend the second Business Faculty graduation at the Bellville Campus.

These ceremonies will be followed by nine others scheduled to take place during this week, with celebrations culminating on Saturday afternoon on the Cape Town campus.

During Autumn Graduation a total of 6712 qualifications will be conferred. Of this total, 66 are Master of Technology qualifications and six are Master of Education qualifications. Fifteen doctoral degrees will also be conferred.    

CPUT’s Vice- Chancellor, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga will preside over the ceremonies.

All Graduation Ceremonies will be streamed live at www.cput.ac.za/live

By Candes Keating

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CPUT is living up to it mission statement and cementing partnerships with institutions and agencies, both nationally and internationally.

One of its most notable partnerships is that with the French, who during the past few years collaborated with CPUT on a number of projects.

The university is now looking at extending its number of collaborations with the French and recently hosted a delegation from the N+ I Network, a group that represents engineering schools in France.

The delegation met with members of the Engineering Faculty and the Office of International Affairs at the Bellville Campus.

The parties explored possible collaborations in research, curriculum development, as well as staff and student exchange. They also discussed the possibility of offering dual degrees.

Director of the Office of International Affairs, Merle Hodges says talks with the N+ I network started in 2012.

“This recent visit offered an opportunity for heads of departments and professors from the various institutions to meet and discuss various aspects of the partnership,” says Hodges.

The most notable collaboration to date with the French is F’SATI, a joint venture between CPUT and ESIEE-Paris, a graduate school in France. The collaboration is a huge success, with F’SATI leading training in satellite engineering.

The most recent collaboration resulted in the establishment of the Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre. The Bellville-based centre is a joint venture between CPUT, the French Ministry of Education, the French company Dassault Systems and the Technology Innovation Agency.

Written by CPUT News

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Years of hard work and dedication to their studies have paid off for the class of 2013 who will receive their qualifications at CPUT’s Spring Graduation today.

During the ceremony, which will take place on the Cape Town campus, the university will award qualifications to 695 students, of which 36 will receive Masters, and 11 will receive Doctorates.

As a precursor to this year’s ceremony, the university hosted a Doctoral Candidates Public Lecture Series earlier this week on the Bellville Campus.

An initiative of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, the series saw PhD graduates Olushola Ayanda, Georina Westraadt, Alettia Chisin and Mark Boekstein deliver short presentations on their research.

This event will become a permanent feature on the CPUT calendar and will form part of the university’s graduation celebrations, which takes place annually in April and in September.

These PhD graduates together with their counterparts will be capped by CPUT Chancellor, Dr Trevor Manuel, who will preside over the ceremony.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

It’s widely considered the premier facility of its kind, not just in South Africa, but on the entire continent. The state-of-the-art R41m Food Technology Building on CPUT’s Bellville campus boasts refurbished laboratories and classrooms, forming part of a world-class training facility which produces incredibly marketable graduates. The new facilities include a 1500m² Pilot Plant with 6 major processing areas for dairy, meat products, bakery, spray-drying, extrusion & milling, heat processing and an area for manufactured foods.

Further training and support of Pilot Plant activities are conducted in 7 labs operated according to Good Laboratory Practice principles, embedding these in the training that students receive. Food Technology students at CPUT also have the unique privilege of accessing the Agrifood Technology Station (ATS) and its expertise and large industry contact base. Funded by the National Department of Science and Technology, the ATS is attached to the Department of Food Technology, with a mandate to help industry clients with innovation, research, technology transfer and routine analytical services. In another major coup for CPUT, the ATS was recently appointed as an Institute of Sectoral/Occupational Excellence (ISOE) by the Foodbev SETA.

Dr. Chris Nhlapo, DVC: Research, Technology Innovation & Partnerships with Foodbev ETQA Manager Mr. Krappie Eloff, signing the draft Memorandum of Agreement appointing the ATS as an Institute of Sectoral/ Occupational Excellence (ISOE) by the Foodbev SETA.

The agreement is a direct outcome of the new facilities occupied by ATS with Food Technology and its potential for technology transfer and training. The funding that comes with this will be used to ensure that the ATS Quality Management System complies with Foodbev SETA requirements. The station will then be fully accredited to act as a training venue and eventually to offer accredited training itself.Nowhere in South Africa can one find the continual technology and industry input into academic programmes, along with the semi-commercial arm for research, services and training provided by the ATS. Apart from benefiting from the impact of the real-life industry presence in the department during their training, many students and graduates are employed by the ATS as Interns, giving them invaluable experience as they enter the workplace.

With a first-year intake of 80 students annually, competition for spaces in the Food Tech Department are at a premium, and even more so now that their incredibly high-tech facilities are in operation. As South Africa’s population grows, new scientific and technological challenges present themselves daily in this exciting career, which often leads to rich rewards and excellent job opportunities for both men and women. Graduates apply proven techniques and procedures to the production, analysis, development and packaging of safe, nutritious and innovative food products. This involves employing a range of technical, engineering and managerial problems and solutions, all of which are thoroughly covered in the coursework and practical components of the academic programme.

Qualified food technologists are employed in industrial food manufacturing concerns, such as bakeries, beverage manufacturers (soft drinks, beer and wine), bottling plants, canning companies, dairies, fish and meat processors. They are involved in production, quality assurance, and product development. In addition to working for the larger Food Industry concerns, food technologists are also employed by research institutes or government bodies charged with the monitoring of food quality standards.

Edited by: Jan Weintrob

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CPUT awarded 711 diplomas and degrees, including 35 Masters degrees and five Doctorates, at the September Graduation ceremony, which was held on the Bellville Campus.

This is the largest number of postgraduate qualifications to be awarded at a single diploma ceremony at CPUT.

Addressing graduates at the ceremony, which took place on 18 September 2009, Deputy-Vice Chancellor: Academic Prof Anthony Staak, said the number of postgraduate qualifications bears testimony to the fact that CPUT is making great strides in advancing research.

“We currently have seven research niche areas at the institution funded by the national research foundation, as well as a number of research projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology and other outside agencies,” he said.

Prof Staak said the institution’s mission speaks of creating and applying knowledge that will contribute to economic and social development in South Africa.

He said as an institution, CPUT is well positioned to live out this mission and make a contribution to knowledge production and development in the country.

He urged graduates, who will go on to become alumni of the institution, to also commit to this mission.

“Many of you will go on to occupy influential position in commerce, in industry and in the public sector. We hope that you will use your special skills and your influence to put something back into those communities and help contribute to their development,” he said.

“Together we hope that you will help us realise our goal of creating futures, not only for our students but for the broader society as well,” said Prof Staak.

He also called on graduates to continue to support CPUT and to further their professional development at the institution.

With the rapid pace of technology, graduates will have to update their skills continuously to ensure that they remain leaders in their fields.

Prof Staak said alumni are ambassadors of the institution and that their future success is important to CPUT.

“We are proud of what you have achieved thus far and sincerely hope that we have helped placed you on a trajectory that will lead you to even greater successes in the future,” he said.

Guest speaker at the ceremony, Bob Pullen, a senior specialist in Water Engineering at BKS (Pty) Ltd, also urged graduates to make an impact in South Africa.

He said once in the workplace, individuals must focus on sharpening their skills.

“It is important to persevere in what you do. South Africa has a need for people with scarce skills,” he said.

Pullen, who was recently awarded the National Science and Technology Award for his outstanding contribution to Science, Engineering and Innovation, said graduates must also focus on becoming competent in their chosen vocation.

“Competent people in the right place can lift South Africa to greater heights,” said Pullen.

Doctorates were awarded to the following graduates:

• Mpiana Kalula: Faculty of Business (Public Management)
• Charles Laubscher: Faculty of Business (Tourism and Hospitality Management)
• Sidney du Plessis: Faculty of Engineering (Electrical Engineering)
• Seteno Ntwampe: Faculty of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)
• Gloudina Hon: Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences (Biomedical Technology)

By Candes Keating

Click here to view a September Graduation 2009 photograph gallery.
Click here to view a photograph gallery of doctoral students.

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CPUT staff never miss an opportunity for their students to learn and network with industry partners.

The massive construction taking place at the Bellville campus, where the new engineering building is being built, is the perfect training ground for a number of courses on offer at the institution.

A 43-metre crane on site created the perfect chance for Emergency Medical Care staff and students to practice their rescue training.

VERTIGO: Lecturer Schalk van der Merwe on top of the 43 metre high crane

The invitation was also opened up to industry partners like the military health services, airport fire rescue, metro rescue and the fire department.

Lecturer Schalk van der Merwe thanked the construction company Stefanutti Stocks for their willingness to allow the rescue simulation to happen on site.

“We simulated the crane operator having a heart attack up there as well as an electrical accident. The purpose of the simulation is to keep our rescue training abilities in top form,” he says.

“It is also a great chance to network and build common practice techniques between the various rescue units.”

Despite a slight drizzle volunteers from the various units took it in turns to ascend the crane then descend using ropes.

Justin Ventzke from Stefanutti Stocks says the construction site has been attracting students from a number of courses like quantity surveying.

“A few have come to ask for work shadowing opportunities and we have been happy to oblige,” he says.

Written by Marick Hornsveld

The Marketing and Communication Department of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology takes pleasure in inviting your Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners to the Open Day, to be held as follows:

Dates: Thursday, 14 May – 16 May 2009
Times: 09:00 – 16:00 (Thursday and Friday)
09:00 – 14:00 (Saturday)
Venue: Major Sports Hall, Bellville Campus
RSVP: See contact details below

This interactive exhibition will afford prospective students with first-hand information on our courses and degree programmes as well as the student support services offered by the University.

We can accommodate 100 - 200 Grade 11 / 12 learners at 10-minute intervals. Please note that it would take approximately an hour for your learners to view the exhibition stalls.

To arrange for your school to visit the Open Day contact:

Grant Barends
021 959 6087
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Patsy Samuels
021 959 6286
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Raa-iqah Isaacs
021959 6609
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For more information contact:
Marilyn Cloete
021 959 6228
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Grant Barends
021 959 6087
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We look forward to hearing from you.

Written by CPUT News
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Civil Engineering Students, enrolled in the extended programme, are investigating the possibility of establishing a shuttle service for students at the Bellville Campus.

This study, which forms part of a Service Learning Project, was initiated by Engineering Communication Skills lecturer, A. Neil Peffer.

Service Learning Projects, which are managed by the Service Learning Unit, see students working with the community on projects related to their courses. The students are evaluated and marks are allocated.

As part of the project, the group of 42 students visited the University of Cape Town (UCT) during April to investigate the Jammie Shuttle Service, which is one of the most successful student transport systems at a higher education institution.

During their first visit to UCT they conducted a survey to establish students’ views on the service. The second visit saw students interact with Jammie Shuttle Service officials, who gave insight into their daily operations.

With 30 buses on the road, operating from 6am to 1pm daily, the core purpose of the shuttle service is to transport students to and from residences and between the campuses. Operating from 12 routes, the shuttle transports 35 000 students daily.

Officials said setting up a shuttle service will benefit students. However, they warned that it was not an easy task as the shuttle service had to comply with national transport regulations. Peffer said the interaction with UCT students and the officials was “extremely valuable” for the purpose of the project.

“The students have a general picture of what is happening at another university,” he said.

During the next few weeks, students will conduct surveys at the Bellville campus to determine the transport needs of CPUT students and analyse their findings.

They will then compile a report, outlining their findings and recommendations on the development of a shuttle service for CPUT.

Peffer, who has initiated several Service Learning Projects in the Civil Engineering Department, said it is vital for students to interact with the community.

“One day as civil engineers they will have to work with the community. The community will be their clients,” he said.

Civil Engineering student Kelsi Jameson said the group has enjoyed interacting with the community and working on a project outside of the classroom setting.

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It has been a busy year so far for the Arts and Culture Development Department. From its office on the Bellville Campus, this subsidiary of Student Affairs has co-ordinated several well-received arts events over the previous months, and has an exciting line-up planned for the rest of 2008.

The role of the Arts and Culture Development Department is to broaden the minds of students studying at CPUT by exposing them to a variety of art forms such as music, poetry, dance and drama. By bringing performers onto campus and organising cultural outings, the students’ academic experience is enhanced and personal development is assisted. The Department also plays a role in establishing and growing new cultural organisations. Among its affiliates are groups offering debating, ballroom dancing and choral singing.

Included in the Department’s first term programme have been several theatre experiences. In February, a group of students spent the evening at the Baxter Theatre enjoying the local comedy Joe Barber 4. In March, a performance of the South African classic Woza Albert was held at the Bellville auditorium. For many students, this was an important lesson in history and a chance to experience “struggle theatre”. Another highlight was a trip to the Little Theatre to see the Afrikaans play “Kanna hy ko huistoe” by Adam Small. In this, the students were partnered by learners from Florida High School, Ravensmead, who are studying the play as a setwork.

Music has been an important part of the year’s activities. CPUT has been visited by several high-profile local performers including SAMA winner Loyiso Bala, Idols finalist Ezra Lingeveldt and Idols winner Jodi Williams. On the classical side, thirty students attended a production of the Opera Rigolletto at the Joseph Stone Auditorium in February. For many, it was their first “night at the opera.” During Orientation Week at the beginning of the year, students were entertained by a classical trio and a jazz band.

Other cultural events have included an Orientation Week Program by the Afrikaans Culture Group and an open mic poetry session hosted by the Poetry Group. The Debating Society’s first public debating competition was held on the 16th of March and was viewed by a packed audience in the Bellville Campus Student Centre.

Arts and culture activities are temporarily slowing down as many students have exams, but there is plenty planned for the second term. In the pipeline are the annual visit to the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, a trip to the National Debating Competition and several arts and culture workshops.

For more information about arts and culture activities at CPUT, contact Eugene Malan at 021 959 6041 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

By Eugene Malan and Ilana Abratt

Photograph: SRC culture representative Lovuyo Nontsele (centre) is flanked by Woza Albert cast members

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A R1.98 million grant from the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) will ensure that CPUT students secure internship placements in industry.

The move to establish the CHIETA Student Internship and Learnership Programme at CPUT was promoted by the Chemical Engineering Department, who in recent years has been battling to place students in industry.

Addressing delegates who attended the launch on 9 April 2010 at the Bellville Campus, Head of the Chemical Engineering Department, Prof Daniel Ikhu-Omoregbe said they approached CHIETA for assistance after many companies refused to place students, stating that they could not afford to run internship programmes.

“In recent years it has become increasingly difficult for us as a department to place these students. It is common to see students sitting at home unable to complete their diploma programme for up to a year because they have no place to undertake their one year of industrial placement,” he said.

The battle to secure internship placements has negatively impacted on the department’s throughput rates, with students remaining in the system as they are unable to meet all the requirements of their programme.

Prof Ikhu-Omoregbe said the much-needed grant will now guarantee placements for students in industry and ensure that they graduate in the prescribed time.

According to the grant agreement signed between CHIETA and CPUT, the university will be responsible for approaching industry for placements, while the organisation will cover the cost of the students, relieving companies from having to pay stipends.

CHIETA CEO, Kelebogile Dilotsotlhe said it is vital for their organisation to take a leading role in ensuring students are well equipped for the Chemical Engineering Industry, which currently faces dire skill shortages.

CHIETA, along with all other Sector Education Training Authorities (SETA’s) were recently mandated by the Department of Higher Education and Training to play a more active role in skills development, by collaborating with higher education institutions.

Dilotsotlhe said this is the first collaboration of its kind with a university of technology. “We are proud to be part of creating history, which will be reflected in the lives of these students,” she said.

CPUT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga said a lot of effort has been made to infuse work integrated learning into the curriculum.

She said this grant will play a major role in the development of students.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo welcomed the grant and said it is indicative of a vote of confidence in CPUT.

By Candes Keating

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Landfill gas, with its high methane content, can pose a threat to humans through explosions, combustion or asphyxiation.

This was the focus of the Landfill Gas Harvesting workshop that took place at the CPUT auditorium on the Bellville campus recently.

The workshop was organised by the Waste Management students as part of their assessment on 7 October 2009.

This was the first landfill gas harvesting workshop in Cape Town

The workshop focused on creating awareness about the dangers of methane gas which may be the result of a gas that comes out of landfills.

Also, the event showed attendees what has been previously done regarding the landfill gas, what is currently underway and what may be possible in the future.

The Waste Management department emphasised that there is a significant amount of money that can be made by operators through mining landfill liabilities and turn them into garbage gold

Jacob Seccona, CPUT Environmental Department’s head said: “This is the first workshop ever organised in CPUT. We need more workshops like these in order to create awareness at municipalities as it is only Ethekwini Municipality that is doing something about landfill gas harvesting.”

CPUT’s Environmental Management Department, which presents the Waste Management course to environmental officers who come from all over the country, helped the students organise the workshop.

Kagisho Motingwe, a student who also works for the City of Cape Town as a principal technician, was the steering committee manager for the workshop.

“Putting together this workshop was an assignment on its own for us as it is part of the continuous evaluation of students, which forms part of the year mark,” said Motingwe.

The workshop targeted municipalities, non-governmental organisations and private sector entities involved in waste management in general, but specifically landfill management and subsequently expanded to students as well.

Motingwe said the objective of the workshop was to create a discussion around landfill gas in South Africa, and to stimulate that relevant guest speakers were invited.

Five speakers shared the stage, touching on the social and environmental externalities of landfill gas, carbon loads and carbon credits, civil impact on landfill gas harvesting and also creating a climate for innovation and change.

According to Motingwe, the idea behind the workshop was to look at the economic side of landfill gas harvesting, the social side and the ethical side of it.

Among the guest speakers was CPUT’s lecturer Dr Lee-Anne Seeliger who spoke around the ethical side of landfill gas.

By Andiswa Dantile

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Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home has become the latest beneficiary of one of the Anglo Residence’s social responsibility activities, after the home was given food and clothes as part of a donation.

Anglo Residence, one of CPUT’s residences at the Bellville campus, in conjunction with the City of Cape Town, visited the home in Eerste Rivier on 28 August 2009.

About 25 people, who included the residence’s house committee and students and others from different residences of CPUT at the Bellville campus, took part in the initiative.

The outreach is part of the residence’s activities for the year, which among many includes social responsibility.

The group donated groceries amounting to more than R3000, which included meat, drinks and toiletries. Other donations were clothes that were collected by students who reside at Anglo Residence.

The main purpose of the visit was to interact with and give love to the children. The group also prepared lunch for the children, which was served after school by the students.

According to Bulelwa Dlephu, the residence coordinator, they decided to identify needy homes as part of their outreach programme.

Dlephu said: “We decided to rope in the City of Cape Town as they are in a good position to identify these homes. We were specific to them as we said we wanted the neediest home around Cape Town and Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home was the one.”

The residence started planning for the project at the beginning of the year and it was agreed that each student would donate R10.

“We later discovered that R10 was not going to be enough as Anglo Residence is one of the smallest residences here, and then we decided to ask people outside.

“We went almost to every department and we were also asking our friends that are outside the institution. Through patience from our side and much cooperation from the students, our project was very successful,” said Dlephu.

The City of Cape Town did not only identify the neediest home, but also offered to transport the group to and from the Bellville campus to Eerste Rivier.

Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home was started in 2000 by Ms Cordelia Woniwe who couldn’t stand seeing children being dumped by their parents on a daily basis.

She now looks after 11 children that she gets through the Department of Social Services.

Responding to CPUT students for their donation, Ms Woniwe said: “I thank you for coming here; you have really made a difference. You have brought hope and joy to these children.”

She continued by saying that: “Working with children from different backgrounds is not an easy task. Some of these children were dumped on the highways and I feel it is my responsibility to give them the love that they didn’t get from their biological parents”.

Woniwe used to work as a domestic worker before deciding that her destiny was taking care of the children.

The Anglo Residence has many activities in the pipeline and plans to visit more homes in the future.

“If things were easier for us, we would adopt the Imitha Yelanga Children’s home, but for now we can’t promise anything. We’ll keep on doing the best where we can,” Dlephu concluded.

By Andiswa Dantile

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The Department of Student Affairs has initiated a food parcel drive to support vulnerable CPUT students during the lockdown.

Deputy Dean of Students, Tulani Nkuntse said they have been working with the Central Student Representative Council in partnership with an NGO, Ithemba Labantu, and staff members to assist 420 identified students who are currently in residences and in need of food and basic essentials. “We have rolled out assistance for the students who have not received their allowances to [this] date, [and] students who are not receiving any form of bursary or NSFAS…and we were clear that this is for students who have no means to support themselves.” 

This initiative has been benefiting mainly the students on the Bellville Campus. Nkuntse said postgraduate students in Cape Town also started a fund to assist students residing in their residences who were identified as needing similar support. “This has also fast-tracked the university’s wider student support programme geared to support our struggling students; the groundwork has begun,” said Nkuntse.

He added that the university has already spent about R200 000 and that the initiative came at a time when the institution had begun looking at various ways on how to build a sustainable programme to support its struggling students. “We believe that this initiative will provide a good foundation for the programme to be implemented in the near future.”

This initiative also received a thumbs up from Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo, who said: “This is excellent beyond measure. This is what social justice and a caring university must do. Well done.” 

Nkuntse added that the university has a number of struggling students and support of this kind was crucial for ‘our’ university. “We are committed to ensuring that we support our students in all ways possible. Good nutrition results in good health and ultimately good academic performance.”

*The Dr Mzamo Jakavula Foundation and Adams Food Stall have also been assisting with cooked meals.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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District Six staff members and students can now boost their health and fitness levels at the new Outdoor Gym on the campus.

The new facility, situated at corner of Constitution and Tennant streets boasts eleven pieces of equipment and is the second one of its kind at CPUT.

The outdoor gym park at the Bellville campus opened last year and plans are afoot to roll out the project at the Mowbray and Wellington campuses.

According to the Residence Business Unit, which has been managing the project, outdoor gym sessions and a boot camp series will soon resume at the Bellville campus. The District Six gym will also have professional trainers on site on Mondays to Thursdays from 4 pm to 6 pm. The starting dates will be announced soon and these sessions will be free of charge for staff and students.
The unit hopes that the project will provide a spot where staff and students can enjoy the benefits of an outdoor gym like at many other university campuses around the world.

“We have looked into the benefits of the project and we are confident it will bring a much needed service within our living and learning spaces. We believe a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and this is important as we strive to be the innovation centre of Africa through our One Smart CPUT drive," said Johnny Basson, Manager of the Residence Business Unit.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Hundreds of qualifications were conferred during the CPUT Spring Graduation on the Bellville Campus today.

The event is one of the highlights of the CPUT academic calendar and provides the university with an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students from all faculties.

During this year’s Spring Graduation CPUT will confer 989 diplomas and degrees, including 45 Masters and Doctoral degrees, in two ceremonies on the Bellville Campus.

This was the first graduation which Chancellor Thandi Modise presided over since her installation as CPUT chancellor, and marks a new era for the university.

Modise, who is also Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, has succeeded former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, who was the inaugural chancellor at CPUT.

The morning ceremony saw qualifications being conferred to students who completed academic programmes in the faculties of Applied Science, Business and Management Sciences, Education, Health and Wellness Sciences as well as Informatics and Design.

Acting Vice-chancellor, Dr Chris Nhlapo, told the audience that the day represents several years of study which required sacrifices not only from the graduates but also from their partners and family members.

“The number of our graduates show that we are making great strides in research and innovation,” said Nhlapo.

In the afternoon ceremony graduates in the Faculty of Engineering will be capped, including 21 Masters and Doctoral degrees.  

Written by Kwanele Butana
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A conference which empowered young women in higher education with skills such as entrepreneurship, self-defence and personal branding was recently held on the Bellville Campus.

The two-day conference, which was hosted by the HIV/Aids Unit, was attended by approximately 300 female students from universities and TVET Colleges around the Western Cape.
Prof Nomafrench Mbombo, Western Cape Health MEC, told the young women to be wary of risky sexual activities as it could lead to their downfall such as unwanted pregnancies, sexual transmitted infections and abusive relationships.
“Girls are groomed for men’s sexual gratification,” she said.

Mbombo decried the patriarchal environment which raises boys differently from girls and added that young women sometimes feel the pressure to have children in order to please or gain hold over their men and that transactional sex is a common practice these days as women wants to live the good life. 

Acting Dean: Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, said she works with communities around issues of gender-based violence. 
“In this country women are not well at the moment and this means that the society at large is ill,” said Engel-Hills.

HEAIDS Project Manager, Alex Semba, said the conference was a platform for the delegates to network with each other.
Semba discussed the programmes that HEAIDS is providing to universities and colleges to address the ‘blessing’ culture in a bid to reduce HIV infections among women between the ages of 15 and 24 by 30%.
He said health and wellness is important in order for higher education institutions to perform their core functions of teaching, research and community engagement. 
During the conference the delegates received goodie bags and spot prizes, and were equipped with a range of skills including personal safety, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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