University of Fort Hare staffer tests positive

A University of Fort Hare staff member at the Alice campus has tested positive for Covid-19.

The university’s deputy vice-chancellor, Nokwethemba Ndlazi, said on Tuesday the employee was a part of the essential services team that had, in recent weeks, gone to the campus “from time to time to render critical services to the university”.

Ndlazi said this was the first confirmed case at the institution.

“The staff member is currently in isolation under the supervision of the provincial department of health.

“Contact tracing has already begun to identify university employees who may have come into contact with the colleague.

“Specifically, members of the affected department have been informed and are in quarantine,” Ndlazi said.

The university’s management urged all staff and students to stay away from buildings and offices on campus.

Ndlazi said an exception would be made  to people who had been invited to the campus by “the relevant authority”.

She said the building visited by the infected employee was being decontaminated.

The university’s interim SRC president, Siphiwo Ngcenge, said the student leadership team had not been aware of the positive Covid-19 case until the university issued a statement on its Facebook page.

“We are transitioning into new student governance and so forms of communication are still being established on virtual platforms.

“No-one has mastered the handling of the coronavirus — everything is trial and error.

“We will be meeting with the institution’s Covid-19 task team later this week to get a thorough understanding of what we’re dealing with.” 

Ngcenge said although Covid-19 posed a threat to the continuation of learning at the institution, the SRC’s main concern was the outstanding National Student Finance Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances owed to students.

“We understand there is a great deal of pressure all round as we grapple with the virus.

“However, as the student leadership our main priority at the moment is to make sure students can eat.

“Their allowances haven’t yet been loaded and that still remains a major concern,” Ngcenge said.

At a national level, it is still unclear when contact learning will resume at universities.

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande said at his most recent briefing that, under level 3 of the national lockdown, a maximum of 33% of the student population would be allowed to return to campuses, delivery sites and residences.

Nzimande said students in their final year and on their way to graduation in 2020 could return.

This included final-year students who required access to technical on-site equipment, students in all years of study who needed clinical training and postgraduate students who required laboratory and other technical equipment.

“A period of two to three weeks will be given to allow students to travel back to their campuses and institutions to ensure that the campuses are effectively prepared for the return,” Nzimande said.

Ngcenge said there had been no indication from the University of Fort Hare management on when students could begin returning to campuses in a phased approach.

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