Scores of CPUT’s staff members were lauded for their contributions to building and developing the university at a gala lunch event recently. The event was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, herself a recipient of a fifteen years long-service award, Deans of Faculties and those staff members who have served the institution for ten years or more.

Noel Adams, also known as “Paps”, is a familiar face on Bellville campus where he is the Facilities Co-ordinator. For just over twenty years, “Paps” has been the go-to man for the setting up and running of CPUT’s facilities for hosting events, from inaugural lectures to graduations. “Paps” was delighted with his award, saying that his career at CPUT was a pleasure and privilege.

“It’s impossible to do this job without the co-operation of my staff. The best part of my job is giving support and care to those students who are sometimes far way from home and feeling a little blue. I feel like I’ve really made a difference when you see those students settling in and beginning to shine in their studies and social activities“.

Some of the staff who have been with the Institution for 30 years are pictured above with The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mazwi-Tanga (Front row, centre), Executive Management Jay Bhana (Back row, left), Dr Chris Nhlapo (Front row, right) and Prof. Anthony Staak (Back row, right).

Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Hilda Vember, was honoured for her contribution to building the sterling reputation of CPUT’s Nursing Department for the past 10 years. Vember is currently in the data-collection phase of her PhD, which focuses on evaluating the efficacy of HIV Peer Education programs.

She says there is a strong trend in the department now to focus not only on teaching, but develop and strengthen post-graduate programmes so that research outputs increase and more Master’s and Doctoral students are produced by CPUT.

The stars of the luncheon were five staff members who had served for thirty-five years, namely Marvel Billett, Lucretia Davis, Hilda Haupt, Victor Hugo and Kenneth Josephs. Mrs Haupt has worked with four Vice-Chancellors during her thirty-five years at the institution, a job she says has been challenging at times. But says Haupt, "it's a career that has been exceptionally rewarding. I learnt to adapt and in the process, gained a deeper understanding of the human psyche. "

Also honoured were staff who received awards for being with the institution for ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five and thirty years.

By: Jan Weintrob and Thando J. Moiloa

Photos by: Clive Galant at Fundani (Cape Town)

Written by CPUT News
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Individuals interested in applying for programmes in Nursing, Dental Sciences and Emergency Medical Care, have up until Thursday, 31 July to do so.

The programmes offered by the Faculty of Health and Wellness are designed to equip individuals with the necessary skills to take up exciting careers offered in the health sector.

The four-year BTech Nursing programme is one of CPUT’s most popular programmes.

The programme is registered with the South African Nursing Council and on completion graduates will be registered as a Professional Nurse with qualifications in General Nursing, Community Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing and Midwifery.

The course is comprised of theoretical studies and clinical practicals, which will take place at a variety of accredited hospitals and community settings during the 4 years of study.

Those who opt for the Dental Science programme will be engaged with patient-specific dental work as early as their first year of study and on completion, graduates can opt for careers as dental technologists in a commercial dental laboratory or in a government dental training hospital.

CPUT also offers a four-year Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care. This qualification is designed to produce professionals who are independent clinical practitioners and rescue specialists within the emergency medical care and rescue environments.

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.

The CPUT Vaccination Centre, which has administered nearly 20,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, recently celebrated its first anniversary.

The Centre, situated on the Bellville campus, was the first to open at a Post-School Education centre in South Africa.

By Friday, the centre had provided 19,901 COVID-19 vaccinations and recently started giving influenza vaccinations.  

“I think I speak for all the staff when I say that we are quite humbled to realise that a year has passed. Having the opportunity to be on the frontline of the institutional response to Covid-19 has certainly been a privilege. I believe we can be proud of how we have performed as a team,” said Vaccination Manager Benjamin de Waal.

“It’s a humbling thought to realise that our centre was part of a global effort, one of, if not the largest mass vaccination campaigns, to vaccinate people against Covid-19. It is quite rewarding to see the number of severe COVID-19 disease cases and deaths coming down, knowing that this is certainly in part due to the vaccination campaign we have been a part of.”

De Waal said the main highlight of the CPUT vaccination campaign has been the “amazing collaboration” between the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences (FHWS), particularly the Departments of Nursing Science and Emergency Medical Sciences, Facilities Management, the HIV Unit, the Safety Health and Environmental Unit, Campus Health, CTS, the Marketing and Communication Department and the COVID19 Health Cluster to make the vaccination centre a reality in a matter of weeks in early 2021.

“This would certainly not have been possible without the leadership of Prof Tandi Matsha (Dean: FHWS), Prof Mellet Moll (COVID-19 Compliance Officer), Prof Karien Jooste (Head of Department of Nursing), Jerome Dreyer (Property Services), Melanie Swanson (HIV Unit), Natalie Copeling (Department of Nursing) and Gail Benjamin (Campus Health) and many others whom we cannot all mention here who all played pivotal roles in making the vaccination centre a reality. This was a CPUT community project and showcases our institution's spirit and capacity to respond to and overcome a crisis.”      

He said another highlight has been providing vaccination services to the communities surrounding the Bellville campus.

“In total, the vaccination centre has vaccinated more than 13,000 public members alone, mostly from the communities around the campus, in an area where limited healthcare services are available. The success of the two Vooma vaccination campaigns has also been a highlight, particularly because these campaigns contributed significantly towards students' vaccination.”

The centre has also recently been invited to join the Western Cape Department of Health Influenza Vaccination campaign and can now offer Influenza vaccinations to eligible clients.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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An inspiring group of dedicated CPUT staff members has played a crucial role in helping ensure the health and safety of the university community during the pandemic. More than 15,000 vaccinations have been administered at the CPUT Vaccination Centre, and our vaccinators are right at the frontline.

This month we share some of their stories:

Nursing lecturer Natalie Copeling chose the profession to make a difference in the lives of others, and this passion shines through at the Vaccination Centre, where she serves the CPUT community.

Copeling has worked at CPUT for 14 years and has been involved with the centre since its inception.

“As an existing member of the CPUT health cluster, I was invited to join a sub-committee of the health cluster and was involved in the conceptualisation and planning of the vaccination centre from the outset,” she said.

Copeling assisted with coordinating the training for the Department of Nursing Science staff as COVID-19 vaccinators, as well as compiling a placement schedule for the staff at the centre and floor management of the centre.           

“In a time of uncertainty and turmoil, I had certain skills that could be of use, and it was a privilege to be able to assist during this time.”

She said nursing is a profession that allows you to be grateful for what you have and provides daily reminders of this when you hear the stories and challenges of others.

“The placement in the centre was a return to practice and engagement with many diverse individuals.”

Copeling thanked Prof Karien Jooste “for her support as my HoD as without that I would not have been able to be as involved as what I was.”

“Also, thanks to my colleagues from the department who worked on a rotational basis at the centre.”

Last year Copeling received two awards from the South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners (SASOHN). 
The first, the Ian Webster gold medal, was for her Master’s degree, which was attained in 2019, and is given to all who complete a Master’s or PHD with an occupational health nursing focus by the society. She also received the EXCO Rep of the Year award, given to the candidate the society's president selected annually.
Coupling is married with two daughters, who she says has a passion for equestrian.  
“My spare time is spent mostly outdoors with my two daughters and horses.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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An inspiring group of dedicated CPUT staff members has played a crucial role in helping ensure the health and safety of the university community during the pandemic. More than 15,000 vaccinations have been administered at the CPUT Vaccination Centre, and our vaccinators are right at the frontline.

This month we share some of their stories:

“Just keep swimming”.

This line from the hit movie Finding Nemo is the motto of Gail Benjamin, one of the dedicated vaccinators at the CPUT Vaccination Centre.

Nursing is in her blood. She comes from a family of nurses, including her now-retired mother and Benjamin, who started her career at the New Somerset Hospital in Green Point over three decades ago. 

“I am still learning as our profession is constantly evolving. Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers, personally, professionally, and spiritually. To witness a newborn baby's birth or be present at the end of life is indeed a huge blessing; the beginning and the end of life are sacred.”

Benjamin, a Clinical Nurse Practitioner at Campus Health, Bellville Campus, joined CPUT nine years ago and said Campus Health was involved in the vaccination centre from the planning stages.

The centre, located on the Bellville campus, was the first at a higher education institution in South Africa.

“We all knew we had to do our part for the centre to succeed.”

Besides being a vaccinator, her duties include ensuring that “the operations ran smoothly at the centre”.

Benjamin said she has learnt the following lessons while working at the centre during the pandemic:

“Communication is key… should be clear, accurate and complete. To be transparent, presenting the same message prevents confusion and addresses misinformation.”

Benjamin was born and raised in Worcester, where she completed her schooling before moving on to the Nico Malan Nursing College to pursue her passion.  

“I soon realised that there was so much more to nursing and furthered my studies which led to completing my BTech Community Nursing and Diploma in Nursing Administration at Peninsula Technikon. I also completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Health Care at the University of Stellenbosch after discovering my love for community nursing.”

She is married and has a son.

“As a family, we love the outdoors; we like travelling and exploring the little “dorpies“ around our beautiful country. When the weather permits, you will find me walking along the beach or reading a book near a swimming pool.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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The Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences’ Life Science Revision project is growing from strength to strength, with nearly 200 matrics from three high schools joining in a recent revision session at CPUT.

The project was launched in 2018 by the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences’ Prof Kareemah Najaar, to help more learners achieve the minimum requirements to qualify for programmes in the science field.

Matric learners and teachers from Lavender Hill High School, Wynberg High School and Langa High School visited the Bellville Campus for the first revision session of the year, with 43 tutors volunteering to assist the learners.

The tutors included staff and students from all seven departments in the Faculty: Emergency Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Wellness Sciences, Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, Ophthalmic Sciences and Dental Sciences and, for the first time, tutors from the Department of Medical Biosciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“Over the years, since its inception in 2018, this community project has grown in numbers and evolved in design, efficiency and leadership. What started as a project with myself and 15 tutors and one department supporting one high school with Life Science revision, now has a pool of approximately 100 tutor volunteers from seven FHWS departments as well as volunteers from UWC who are supporting three high schools,” said Najaar.

“I am also now part of a powerful leadership team, with Dr Wendy Solomon and Ms Marnel Germishuys, who work tirelessly to ensure the efficient planning and execution of each revision session. We are very proud of what has been termed as a Faculty Flagship.”

In previous years, a school would serve as the venue for the revision session, but this year learners were welcomed on campus, where they received valuable exposure to the institution.

Plans to expand the project are in the pipeline.

“Before the end of 2024, we intend inviting two additional schools from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Paarl district. We also intend to invite the Medical Biosciences Department, UWC to officially partner with us and continue to increase the number of adopted high schools.”

Najaar said a fundamental component of the project’s success was to use the feedback from the teachers and learners and adapting operations and revision content to their needs.

“I do believe that we have created a tutoring model that is able to adapt to various scenarios, from serious events such as the COVID-19 pandemic (when technology is not available to the disadvantaged) to an unexpected significant decrease in tutor numbers. The ever-adapting model ensures that the matric learners are provided with quality revision sessions in preparation for their final exams.”

Langa High School teacher, Nandipha Mandongana, said the project afforded learners the opportunity to revise topics that they may otherwise not have time for.

“The exposure to CPUT also serves as a motivation. They know what is expected of them in terms of their results if they want to make it (to CPUT) next year.”

Najaar said that in 2021 a significant component was added to the community project, that seeks to empower the young women in matric.

“In support of the national Sanitary Dignity Programme, we provide feminine hygiene products to the female students, in the hopes of making a small difference to the quality of education for young women.”

She thanked all role-players who contributed to the project’s success.

“We would always first give thanks to our tutors who volunteer their time and create a welcoming environment for the matric learners, without whom this project would not be possible. A warm thank you to our colleagues from UWC, who volunteered their time and skills. A heartfelt thank you to our teachers who provide us with the opportunity and guidance during the planning and execution of the revision sessions. We are also in appreciation for the received support from the Dean’s office as well as the Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning, Service-learning division.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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In a significant stride towards fostering international collaboration in higher education, CPUT and Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences (EhB), based in Belgium, have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU signing ceremony marked the formalisation of a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing academic cooperation, research collaboration, and student exchanges between the two institutions. Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences delegation came to CPUT to explore opportunities with the Nursing, Urban and Regional Planning, and other departments. “The purpose of the meeting was to explore how they can collaborate not only in terms of student or faculty mobility but also in research (Research Focus Area 5: Human, Health and Social Dynamics and Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute),” Manager International Relations: Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships. Dr Tasmeera Singh remarked.

Singh said the collaboration and exchange agreement that was signed on the day allows for the exchange of students and research and that the collaboration was initiated by the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The event was attended by key representatives from both CPUT and EhB, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho, along with dignitaries from the academic and administrative spheres.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo said CPUT places a premium on internationalisation. “We believe that problems are now global in nature, that’s why we subscribe to addressing sustainable development goals because problems know no boundaries and higher education do have a role to play in terms of actually addressing the sustainable development goals and other problems affecting the mankind,” said Nhlapo.

Reflecting on the occasion, Singh said: “It was a resounding success as there is a deep commitment by both parties to engage and collaborate. The goals were achieved as the MOU was signed and an invitation to visit Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences was extended to the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

The delegation was taken on a tour of the Department of Food Science and Technology laboratories where they witnessed CPUT's chocolate-making in progress and managed to sample some as well. They were also informed about the brewery and the mechanics behind making beer. “It is always the mandate and objective of the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Directorate to ensure that every visit is a success aligned to the objectives of the visit and CPUT's strategic focus areas,” enthused Singh.

It was also revealed that the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor will visit Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences in July to solidify the commitment of the partnership.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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