On 3 September 2009 approximately fifty students, staff members and esteemed guests gathered for the launch of CPUT’s second Disability Unit facility.

The event took place at the Administration building on Cape Town Campus and was co-ordinated by Disability Unit staff members under the direction of Head of the Disability Unit Dr Nina du Toit.

During the formalities the Programme Director, Elisabet Smit, Head of Department: Student Counselling (Cape Town Campus), declared the function open before handing over to Dr Du Toit to formally welcome the guests.

Smit then took guests through the history of the Disability Unit, spanning over fourteen years and shared some important achievements made since its inception.

The audience was then treated to moving performance by members of the CPUT Choir between addresses by two guest speakers; namely Viwe Kwaaiman, a past CPUT student and Sydney Pretorius, a local attorney and disability rights activist.

Both Kwaaiman, who is living with the genetic disorder muscular dystrophy, and Pretorius, who is visually impaired, shared their messages of hope living with disability.

The local SRC President Thato Molaolwa shared a few words of motivation, calling for students to become more aware and involved in issues of disability and the Disability Unit.

Mugendi M’Rithaa rendered a heart-felt vote of thanks before Cape Town-based Disability Unit staff member Delicia de Vos cut the ceremonial ribbon to declare the new facility, fitted with state of the art computers, officially open.

This official launch formed part of Disability Awareness Week, which ran from 31 August to 4 September 2009 with a series of entertaining and informative events across the Bellville and Cape Town campuses.

Some of the activities that took place during the awareness week included motivational talks by guest speakers (current and past students and staff living with disabilities), vibrant ‘drumming’ sessions hosted by local drumming theatre company Drum Café; short plays and poetry renditions by students; and passionate performances by the CPUT Choir.

According to Dr Du Toit, the purpose of the event was to highlight the specific needs, abilities and challenges of persons with disabilities.

“We want to encourage the CPUT community to become more involved in disability issues,” she said.

Since her appointment at the institution just over a year ago, Dr Du Toit has been instrumental in launching the first Disability Unit facility in the IT centre of Bellville campus in October 2008. During this period, she has also appointed an enthusiastic team to assist with the integration, disabled staff and students into the CPUT community.

Some of the other major highlights of the Disability Unit include a well-managed Disability Forum, the plans to conduct an audit on the accessibility of CPUT buildings and the roll-out of the Unit’s own website in the near future.

In the months to come, the Disability Unit intends to run a ‘roadshow’ across the six faculties, to assist in informing the staff and students about the challenges of educating persons with disabilities on campus.

By Thando J. Moiloa

Written by CPUT News

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Students enrolled at the Wellington Campus now have access to brand new clinic facilities.

On 24 June 2009, Campus Health Services, a department tasked with promoting health and wellness at CPUT, officially opened the clinic.

The clinic, which is staffed by Sister Tania Maree, will offer a range of services to students, from general medical consultations, wound dressing to attending to minor ailments.

Dean of Students Cora Njoli Motale, who addressed members of the CPUT community at the opening of the clinic, said: “Within student services we are trusted with so many responsibilities. One of those is looking after the wellness of our students.”

With clinics situated at four of CPUT’s campuses, Motale said they are able to offer quality health services to students.

Elisabet Smit, Head of Student Counselling said health services at Wellington campus had a “humble beginning.”

In 2004, CPUT nursing Sister Dorothy Jonathan, approached the Drakenstein Municipality and secured temporary use of a local clinic.

However, limited medical services were available to students.

The clinic was also not easy accessible as it was located off campus.

With an increase in demand for primary health care services, the institution decided in 2007 to build a clinic adjacent to the Student Counselling Office.

Smit said building work commenced in June 2008. The clinic opened its doors at the start of the first term in 2009.

Chairperson of the Wellington Student Representative Council Ian Dippenaar welcomed the clinic and said it will contribute to making students’ lives easier.

Dr Allie Jardine, Head of Health Services at CPUT, said he is excited about the clinic.

The “dream of a clinic” would not have been realised without the funding approved by the Executive Management, said Dr Jardine.

Wellington campus manager Ben Turner, said: “We are very proud about the clinic.”

By Candes Keating

Photo: Attending the launch of the Wellington Clinic were (back row) Head of Health Services Dr Allie Jardine, (front row) Dean of Students Cora Njoli Motale, Manager of Wellington Campus Ben Turner and CPUT Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga.

Written by CPUT News
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