Leading African and European unis call for investment in African research
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EU budget for Africa-EU Partnership should ring-fence at least €1bn per year for strengthening African research unis, in partnership European unis
The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) call upon the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) leaders to support an ambitious new initiative for Africa’s universities to address the profound demographic, social and environmental changes facing both continents. The scale of the common challenges we face, and the opportunities opened up through scientific and educational collaboration, require a new level of investment which goes well beyond existing collaborations in Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+.
As the AU and EU develop their priorities ahead of the 6th AU-EU summit in October 2020, ARUA and The Guild call for:
The creation of a substantial fund for research collaboration between African and European Universities, to tackle urgent challenges faced by both continents
The creation of accessible world-class infrastructure in Africa
The establishment of an African Research Council, to help African universities attract and retain world-class researchers
The creation of doctoral schools, to help significantly increase the number of top-quality scientists that will enable the strengthening of African universities in a sustainable way
The provision of co-funding to ensure early-career researchers can develop world-leading research agendas in the first years of their appointment
Strengthening the capacities of African Universities through bespoke training and investment in systems appropriate to their needs
ARUA and The Guild also emphasise the need for the EU’s commitment to research, higher education and innovation to be matched by substantial co-funding from African governments, as AU Member States have already agreed to take concrete actions to allocate at least 1% of GDP in Research & Development ‘to ensure that Africa maximises ownership and responsibility for its own developmental path’. (Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024)
Professor Idowu Olayinka, Chair of ARUA and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, said: “African research universities need to be at the forefront of the new effort to transform Africa for the people of the region. Challenges such as climate change, food security, migration, poverty, unemployment and many others require urgent research attention. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require new knowledge that universities must lead in providing. We recognise the need for partnership with European universities as an essential part of the preparation that has to be made for this giant step forward, and hence strongly endorse collaboration between the EU and the AU to make this happen”.
Professor Vincent Blondel, Chair of The Guild and Rector of UCLouvain, added: “Developing new levels of collaboration between researchers in Europe and Africa presents an important strategic opportunity for European Universities. We need the high levels of ambition in the European Union and the African Union to confront common challenges, including climate change and demographic growth. It is in the interest of universities in Europe and beyond to strengthen our capacity for joint action in research and education.”
About The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA)
Composed of 16 leading universities in Africa, ARUA aims to enhance research and graduate training in member universities through a number of channels, including the setting up of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) at its member universities. Addressing key challenges of Africa’s sustainable development, ARUA CoEs are intended to be focal points for aggregating world-class researchers from member universities and elsewhere to undertake collaborative research in priority thematic areas while providing opportunities for graduate students from the region and elsewhere to work with the researchers.
About The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities
Founded in 2016, the Guild comprises 19 of Europe’s most distinguished research-intensive universities in 14 countries and is dedicated to enhancing the voice of academic institutions, their researchers and their students. The Guild is committed to the pursuit of excellence, the importance of truth-seeking and trust-building as the foundation of public life, and the creation of new knowledge for the benefit of society, culture, and economic growth.
Contact details:
Ernest Aryeetey, Secretary-General of ARUA: aryeetey@ug.edu.gh | +233 203 501182
Jan Palmowski, Secretary-General of The Guild: jan.palmowski@the-guild.eu | +32 (0)2 274 05 02
Wits acts to manage Covid-19 exposure
- Wits University
Wits acts swiftly to manage student who came in contact with COVID-19 carrier.
The Wits COVID-19 management committee would like to advise the Wits community that a medical student has been quarantined after it was found that the student came into contact with a person who had been identified with COVID-19.
The student is being monitored closely and has not displayed any symptoms of COVID-19. The student has been screened and the test results are expected later today. However, as a precautionary measure the Faculty has cancelled the clinical activities scheduled for the student’s class today. All other activities continue as scheduled.
Further information will be made available when it becomes available.
Wits COVID-19 Management Committee
13 March 2020
Student tests positive for Covid-19 and Wits reaches out to affected class
- Wits University
Wits University has just been informed that the medical student who has been quarantined since last Wednesday has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19)
The student was asymptomatic and attended classes last Monday and Tuesday, without knowledge that the student had contracted the virus.
In light of this, the University has made the following immediate decisions:
The cancellation of all contact classes for the Graduate Entry Medical Programme 1 - MBBCh 3 classes. The academic programme will continue online.
All students in the affected student’s class have been instructed to go into self-quarantine for 14 days with immediate effect.
The Faculty is personally reaching out to each of the 350 students who could be affected. They will receive the full support of the Faculty, including the requisite monitoring and testing.
The Dean of Students, Mr Jerome September will coordinate arrangements for students who live in residences, and who require self-isolation. All students who require assistance should contact Thembelihle Dlamini on 0728390223. Those who require counselling can call the 24 hour Wits student support number on 0800 111 331.
The Department of Health’s WhatsApp number is 0600123456 and provides additional information about COVID19. The NICD website (www.nicd.ac.za) is a credible source of information on COVID-19.
The Wits Senior Executive Team is meeting this afternoon to decide on the way forward for the Faculty and all other University activities. An update will follow this evening. In the interim, we appeal to the Wits community to remain calm. Please be assured that we are managing this issue and making decisions based on the best medical advice available.
This is an anxiety causing time for the University community and the country as a whole. However, if we all take a pragmatic approach to this pandemic it is very likely that the country will get through this crisis. Importantly, it is everybody’s responsibility to protect themselves so that we also protect all other South Africans and most importantly the most vulnerable in our society.
We will get through this difficult period together.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
WITS UNIVERSITY
15 MARCH 2015 (13:30)
All contact teaching postponed for Monday, staff to continue with work
- Wits University
Wits announces measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Senior Executive Team of the University of the Witwatersrand met on Sunday, 15 March 2020, and made the following decisions:
All contact teaching and University activities involving face to face interaction are postponed, including tests, for Monday, 16 March 2020. All students are requested to remain at home or to confine themselves to their rooms in residence. Students are encouraged to follow the social distancing policy and to limit interaction where this is possible.
Special arrangements are being made for students who usually eat in dining halls.
Employees are expected to come to work in order to ensure that operations continue. Employees are requested to maintain social distance, and where possible meetings and group work should be conducted telephonically, online, or via video conferencing. We continue to follow the NICD’s protocols in this regard.
All graduations will be postponed until further notice. New arrangements will be communicated in due course.
A temporary moratorium has been placed on all travel, both outbound and inbound, and applies to both local and international travel. This also means that people who have travelled into South Africa, should not be allowed to enter the University.
Remember to also make use of the NICD’s Coronavirus Emergency 24-hour hotline number and to visit the NICD’s website at www.nicd.ac.za if required. For those who are tested at independent laboratories, remember that these are preliminary results. All positive results must be verified by the NICD.
We will keep the Wits community informed as to plans from Tuesday onwards after consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Higher Education and Training. In the interim, student queries should be directed to the Dean of Students via Jerome.September@wits.ac.za whilst employees with queries should email their line manager, Head of School or respective Senior Executive Team member.
Thank you
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
15 MARCH 2020 (20:00)
Wits announces early recess
- Wits University
Wits University will be in recess from Tuesday, 17 March 2020, four days earlier than scheduled.
Following meetings with the NICD, experts in infectious diseases and designated government departments, it has been determined that the University is currently in a low-risk moment and that taking the appropriate decisions now may enable the moderation of staff and student exposure to COVID-19.
As a result, the Senior Executive Team has made the following decisions:
The mid-term break will be brought forward and the University will be in recess from Tuesday, 17 March 2020, four days earlier than scheduled. This means that all academic activities for this week will be rescheduled.
Wits will reopen on 30 March 2020 as per the almanac, but this date and the form of the academic programme may change, depending on national and global developments around the containment of the health pandemic.
After consulting with key health experts, the executive has taken the difficult decision to request all students to vacate their residences within the next 72 hours. We are deeply cognisant that students may have some concerns and challenges around this decision but we believe that we are acting in the best interests of students and the broader public. Minimising exposure in the institution extends beyond face to face contact within the academic programme but also in our residences, especially at this relatively early stage of the pandemic. The Dean of Student Affairs and his team will steward this process and will be available to attend to any challenges that students (including international students) may experience.
The University will continue to operate on essential and skeleton staff during this period. Over the next 72 hours, managers and executives will consult with staff in their departments to put in place arrangements for essential services to continue up until 30 March 2020. All executives, managers and essential staff will be required to ensure the continuity of operations during this time.
In addition, academic staff may work from home but are allowed to come onto the Wits campuses as appropriate or if required, to ensure the long-term continuity of the academic programme.
Non-essential professional and administrative staff may remain at home unless they are required to report for duty. Matters related to leave and working conditions during this period will be addressed by our Finance, Human Resources and Legal Divisions in consultation with unions and other stakeholders.
[WATCH] Wits Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib announces early recess
As stated yesterday, all graduation ceremonies will be postponed until further notice and more information will be sent to graduands in due course.
South Africa, and the higher education sector has never before confronted a pandemic on this scale. If we are to get through this period with the minimum impact on society, the Wits community and the academic programme, it will require an unprecedented solidarity from all stakeholders. This in principle means that we all need to reflect on how we can contribute to our institution, our country and the collective good of our communities during this time of crisis.
We are in a crucial moment in the life of this pandemic and it is important that we work as a collective for the benefit of our society. We urge all members of the Wits community to heed the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa: “This epidemic will pass. But it is up to us to determine how long it will last, how damaging it will be, and how long it will take for our economy and our country to recover. It is true that we are facing a grave emergency. But if we act together, if we act now, and if we act decisively, we will overcome it.”
Thank you
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
16 MARCH 2020 (20:00)
Who should test for COVID-19
- Wits University
Answers to common questions asked by the Wits community.
Dear Colleagues and Students
We have been inundated with requests from students and staff who are concerned about their health and who are requesting to be tested for COVID-19. Here are some answers to the common questions.
Who should be tested for COVID-19?
Persons who may have the following symptoms:
Fever + a cough OR
Fever + shortness of breath
AND
who may have returned from a high-risk country in the last 14 days
AND
who may have been in close face-to-face contact (within 2 metres) in a closed environment for an extended period of time with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 positive person.
[WATCH] World Health Organization explains who is at risk
Persons who have been in the same enclosed vicinity of a confirmed or probable COVID-19 positive person for an extended period of time should self-quarantine isolate for a period of 14 days. If symptoms develop during this period, they should call ahead and visit a healthcare professional, and follow their advice. These persons may require testing at this time.
People who may walk through the same corridor as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or a large classroom are at low risk and should monitor their health carefully. They do not require testing.
How is COVID-19 diagnosed?
Where can I get tested?
COVID-19 is diagnosed by a laboratory test known as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular test on a respiratory tract sample (e.g. sample from nose, throat or chest).
If you have no symptoms, self-monitor. If symptoms develop, go into self-isolation and then call ahead and visit your healthcare professional, and take their advice. They will refer you to a laboratory to be tested if required.
Where are the high risk countries?
Do all Wits students need to be tested?
Do students need to be tested before leaving residences?
A. No. Only those students who meet the criteria above. All students who may have been at risk have already been identified and placed into self-quarantine. This group is being monitored and is receiving the support of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs.
A. No. Students do not need to be tested before leaving residences.
No. Experts in infectious diseases have advised that the University is currently in a low-risk moment and that taking the appropriate decisions now may enable the moderation of staff and student exposure to COVID-19 as we are still in the early stages of the pandemic. We believe that we are acting in the best interests of students and the broader public by bringing the mid-term break forward.
A. Students, call the ICAS hotline on 0800 111 331
Staff, call the AskNelson Hotline on 0861 635 766 or dial *134*928# or send a ‘please call me’ to 072 620 5699 or email asknelson@kaelo.co.za
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
17 MARCH 2020 (15:00)
Court dismisses application to halt residence evacuation
- Wits University
The High Court (Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg) dismissed the urgent application by two students to extend the period for the evacuation of residences.
The judge implored the applicants and all other students to comply with the directives of the President, the World Health Organization and the NICD. The judge recognised that the University is following the directives of these bodies.
We are pleased with the outcome of the Court proceedings and we believe that the judgment is a vindication of decision-making informed by scientific evidence. It also allows institutions to act decisively and to work with government to manage and mitigate against this pandemic.
We are very disappointed with the applicants and others that have tried to undermine the effective management of this pandemic. Their behaviour is self-indulgent and reckless, and contrary to the advice of leading scientists in the country. Moreover, we are aware that this action was in part inspired by political machinations and we remain concerned that such conduct could undermine our country’s fight against the pandemic. It especially undermines the message of solidarity by our President to act as a collective in addressing COVID-19.
Individuals must be held accountable and we are disappointed that the Court did not award costs against the applicants in a context where their conduct has not only been frivolous and reckless, but resulted in the University having to expend unnecessary resources in legal proceedings when it could have been deployed elsewhere at this critical time. This is simply unacceptable and these individuals should be held accountable for their actions.
We will continue to facilitate the evacuation of the residences by our students and to follow the social distancing policy. We emphasise that while our recess has been brought forward and residences are closed, the Senior Executive Team is putting plans in place to ensure that the academic programme resumes in a manner which is conducive to our collective needs as soon as is possible.
Wits’ experts and scientists are also working directly with government to address this pandemic and contribute to the global search for a cure.
We encourage all stakeholders to look out for the collective good of the country. At this time, we must not only claim our rights but also exercise our individual responsibilities as citizens in the best interests of our community. We can only overcome this crisis if we act coherently and collectively as a country.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
19 MARCH 2020 (11:25)
Wits COVID-19 Update 13: Working conditions for staff from 20 to 30 March 2020
- Wits University
Message from the Senior Executive Team of Wits University on the working conditions for staff members during the recess.
Dear Colleagues
We live through uncertain times and the full impact of COVID-19 on our country and our campus, will only be felt in the days ahead. These are extraordinary times, requiring extraordinary measures that require our commitment to work together in order to ensure our collective interest and safety. isiZulu Version. Sesotho version.
The Senior Executive Team (SET) met today and discussed the working conditions of staff over the next ten days (20 March – 30 March 2020). The SET determined that:
essential staff are required to come into the office,
academic, professional and administrative staff are required to work from home where possible, and
due to the nature of the work that they do, recognise that some staff may be unable to work during this period.
The SET also clarified the following questions received from staff.
Q. Is the University closed?
A. No. The University is not closed – the mid-term recess has been brought forward and runs until 30 March 2020. We are responding to a national public health challenge, and we must continue to work, albeit from a different location where possible. The reason for the closure is not to stop work, but to ensure that we have the least number of people congregating in one place as possible.
Q. What happens from 30 March 2020? Why is this date not aligned to the announcement made by the Minister of Higher Education and Training?
A. The University is currently in recess until 30 March 2020. The precise opening date and the form in which we open is dependent on the evolution of the pandemic, engagement with others in the sector, and the preparations for the academic programme to be delivered online. We will communicate with staff and students within next week around the precise opening date, and the form in which we open. For now, notwithstanding communication from other parties, the University is officially in recess until 30 March 2020.
Q. Who needs to report for work in person?
A. All essential staff are required to report for work as required by your respective line manager and/or SET member in order for essential services to continue (like payroll functions) and to prepare to take the academic programme online next term.
Q. Who are essential staff?
A. A list of essential staff has been developed by managers and has been shared with SET members. The SET members will share these lists with the relevant Heads of Schools and line managers who will communicate directly with those staff members required to come onto campus, and those required to work from home. If staff members are requested to come onto campus by their line managers, they should heed these instructions. If staff do not adhere, the normal employee relations processes will apply. Academic staff members are required to continue working from home.
Q. Should I work from home?
A. Yes. The University is not closed and this is not a paid holiday. Anyone who is able to work from home, is encouraged to do so as per the agreement with your line manager and the relevant SET member.
Q. I am an academic. Should I come in?
A. Academics are required to work on preparations for the second term from home and to plan for the academic programme to go online if required in the second term. Researchers who have time-based or sensitive experiments or the like can come in but must understand that there will not be any cleaning, catering and other support services available.
Q. Are staff required to apply for leave?
A. Not yet. However, all managers are required to keep a roster of all those who come into the office and to record evidence of the work that their staff undertake from home. All matters related to leave and working conditions during this period will be addressed by our Finance, Human Resources and Legal Divisions, in consultation with unions and other stakeholders, and with the approval of Council.
Q. I have applied for leave. How will it be affected?
A. The leave remains and will not be impacted in any way.
Q. Will I be paid at the end of March 2020?
A. Yes. You will be paid on the 25th of March 2020. Stipends and associated claims will also be processed. Thank you to those who will come in to make this happen.
Q. What happens to administrative services at Wits University?
A. All administrative services within the University will resume from 30 March 2020, in a form still to be determined. All administrative deadlines due in the next ten days will be extended into April, or as appropriate.
Q. What technology can we use to work from home?
A. Look out for a communique from Wits ICT tomorrow on the relevant systems available to staff and students including learning management systems, Microsoft Office 365 (Teams is useful), Wits’ virtual private network and the online meeting technology available to staff and students.
CONCLUSION
We are living through a difficult time and we are doing all that we can to keep members of the Wits community and our society as safe as possible. We have an opportunity to be part of this collective project, to give of ourselves during this time of need, to bridge the divides that keep us apart, and to come together as a community to beat this pandemic. Let’s all play our part.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
19 MARCH 2020 (17:00)
Wits COVID-19 Update 13: Students urged to go home
- Wits University
Message from the Wits Dean of Student Affairs.
Dear Students
We are living through a difficult time and we are doing all that we can to ensure the safety of our students, based on the advice that we are receiving from experts.
We would like to thank those students who have vacated their residences, in line with the call made by the University and the directive of the President, the World Health Organization and other experts.
Following this morning’s court order, which implored all students to follow the directives referred to above, the majority of students have now left our residences. We urge those who remain to vacate as soon as possible. Many have arranged to leave overnight and those with special challenges are being assessed on a case by case basis. Those who have requested assistance (including international students) from my Office will be advised in the next few hours as to the nature of the assistance that the University can provide.
In light of the steady rise in the number of people infected with COVID-19, the University urges all remaining students to leave immediately. This is in the best interests of the student body, the University community and the general public. Please note that all catering, cleaning, ICT and other services will be suspended as from tomorrow morning.
We have received many queries from students who are concerned about the submission deadlines for their academic work. The SET has agreed that these deadlines will be extended into April and that new deadlines will be communicated in due course.
We wish all students a safe journey home.
Mr Jerome September
Dean: Student Affairs
Wits COVID-19 Update (14): Most students have left residences
- Wits University
Message from the Wits Senior Executive Team.
Dear Colleagues and Students
We would like to inform the University community about the developments around the evacuation of students from our residences. As you know, this decision was made based on the advice of scientists and experts, who have indicated that Wits should evacuate residences while the risks are still low. This is in line with decisions made by other universities around the country.
As at 16:00 today, Friday, 20 March 2020, 85% of all Wits’ residents had left the University. Most of the remaining residents are due to leave this weekend, aside from those who have requested special assistance from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.
The University has put several measures in place in order to assist students as they make their way home.
In agreement with the Students’ Representative Council, Wits processed an extra stipend payment at the end of March for both NSFAS- and donor-funded students, so that students receive it in March instead of April.
April stipends will be paid as usual at the end of the month.
The University has also assisted some students by paying for their transportation costs.
The challenges of students who are unable to travel, like international students, or those who may face particular difficulties, are being assessed on a case-by-case basis. The University has endeavoured to provide the appropriate support to these students based on the need of each individual.
Feeling anxious, worried or need help?
Students are reminded that the Wits Student Crisis Line is fully operational from anywhere in South Africa and in all official South African languages on 0800 111 331.
Staff counselling services are available via 0861 635 766 or dial *134*928# or send a ‘please call me’ to 072 620 5699 email asknelson@kaelo.co.za
The Department of Health’s WhatsApp number is 0600123456 and provides additional information about COVID19.
The NICD website (www.nicd.ac.za) is a credible source of information on COVID-19.
Conclusion
As advised by scientists and experts, we urge all students to leave the residences as soon as possible, aside from those who have made special arrangements with the Dean of Students. This is in the best interests of all students and is part of an official response to tackling the the COVID-19 global pandemic. At this moment in time, we have to think beyond our own interests and act in concert for the wellbeing of our community and broader society. We underscore the important statement made by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Sunday: “This epidemic will pass. But it is up to us to determine how long it will last, how damaging it will be, and how long it will take for our economy and our country to recover. It is true that we are facing a grave emergency. But if we act together, if we act now, and if we act decisively, we will overcome it.”
We wish all those who are travelling home a safe journey.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
20 MARCH 2020 (17:00)
Gag the spreaders of disinformation, not the scientists
- Schalk Mouton
In times of a health crisis, such as the corona virus pandemic, health scientists should be encouraged to speak out.
As our lives are increasingly impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, a wide variety of information and disinformation is being spread. There is no shortage of news, “advice” and rumours being spread about the virus. And this is all natural. Every single person in the world has by now probably been affected in some way by the pandemic. In some ways, we are acting in the extreme, as can be seen by the panic shopping that hit retailers on Monday, after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the pandemic was a National Disaster.
In response to the deluge of information, News24 reported on Wednesday that government had “effectively gagged epidemiologists, virologists, infectious disease specialists and other experts on Covid-19 with an instruction that all requests for comment about the state of the pandemic, the virus itself and its spread should be directed to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)”.
The article quotes Ministry of Health spokesperson Lwazi Manzi, as saying: “the government had decided that all communication should be centralised to just a few voices: ministers, deputy ministers, MECs and, sometimes, the presidency.”
What this means, is that in this time of crisis, with a few exceptions, only government’s version what is happening with the spread of the virus is reaching the public.
According to Manzi, government wants to unify the message about the pandemic, and try to combat “fake news”.
“You can’t have people from Lancet, Ampath, Wits, all speaking to the media. There is a need to differentiate between authority and noise," she is quoted as saying. Scientists, she said, should be left alone to do their work, and not be pestered by journalists.
Since my first contact with the NICD as a journalist many years ago, I have always had the utmost respect for this institution. You could always rely on them to give you quick, relevant and expert opinion, often assisting in dispelling untruths about perceived threats and health risks. This is still true today. However, they don’t have the resources or capacity to deal with a constant stream of media queries. Relying on them as a single source of information might prove to be counterproductive.
If the government’s intention is indeed to try and prevent the spread of panic or fake news about the outbreak, this is exactly why scientists and experts should be allowed to speak freely and openly to the media and the general public. The best way for disinformation to spread, is to leave a void open for pseudo-experts and disinformation peddlers to fill the gap.
In today’s world of social media, an information gap will inevitably be filled. It is especially true in a crisis situation, such as the one we have. There is an increasing need for information. This provides the opportunity for someone to take advantage of this by spreading false information for their own gain. The only way to combat this is to put as much truthful, reliable, scientifically correct information as possible out there, and to provide constant commentary and expert opinions from scientists to the media and the public in general.
South Africa has some of the best experts on virology, epidemiology, infectious diseases and public health in the world. During this crisis, it is crucial that their voices be heard. It is they – and not some government minister or spokesperson – who can speak with true authority on their subjects. They should be encouraged to speak out, not gagged.
Scientists not only have a constitutional right to share their knowledge to the public, they also have an obligation to do so. Like most ministers, deputy ministers and their spokespeople, most scientists salaries are paid – not by the government – but by the taxpayers. The taxpayers have a right to get clear, correct information from the right people in this time of crisis.
My colleagues in the Wits university’s communication team have been overwhelmed in the by media queries looking for expert opinion, while experts and academics want to offer advice on how to best communicate their important messages on the pandemic. We actively encourage all our experts to speak out as much as possible, and provide all the necessary, relevant information that they can provide, on all available channels, including via the media. We have collated and shared as much information as possible on our dedicated COVID-19 mini-site on our website, and in the coming months will be frequently sharing information from our experts.
As communications professionals, we are acutely aware of the dangers of misinformation and fake news in times such as these. There are a lot of opportunists trying to spread fake news messages. It is these people who should be muzzled, not the country’s responsible, knowledgeable experts.
To muzzle scientists is to encroach on their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and academic freedom. It also contravenes the rights of the general public of access to information and a healthy environment. When you start gagging scientists in a time of a disaster, you are going down a slippery slope. Who will be the next to get gagged, under which circumstances? And, more importantly, who will be the decisionmakers, on who to muzzle, and who should be allowed to speak?
Schalk Mouton is a science communications professional working in the Wits communications team. He is a former journalist and news editor.
Wits researchers launch most comprehensive COVID-19 dashboard in South Africa
- Wits University
The dashboard is aimed at informing government, scientists, the media and general public with quick, easy-to-understand information on the current situation.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Wits University has launched the most comprehensive data dashboard on the COVID-19 virus in South Africa to date.
The dashboard, that shows the latest statistics on how the virus is affecting the population of South Africa, is updated on a daily basis, using official statistics from both local sources, such as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and international sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO). The statistics on aspects such as the cumulative confirmed cases in South Africa, the daily confirmed cases, relative increases of infections are presented in colourful, easy-to-interpret visualisations. Other statistics include infections by gender, province, age and transmission routes.
“We are experts in analysing and interpreting big data, and we believe that it is important that someone put this data together and present a bigger picture of the impact of the virus on the country,” says Professor Bruce Mellado from the Wits School of Physics, who initiated the project. The team working on the project includes computer and data analysts, engineers and physicists.
The dashboard is aimed at informing government, scientists, the media and the general public with quick, easy-to-understand information on the current situation. It is updated every day approximately an hour after the release of the official COVID-19 update from the NICD. As more data becomes available, more features will be added to the dashboard.
Mellado is in talks with several government departments to get them to recognise as well as to add to the database, in order to make it a powerful tool in the fight against the virus.
“Our team believes in the power of knowledge to solve complex issues, and we hope that our strong ties and cooperation between the scientific community, the executive and the public can help overcome challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mellado.
Wits COVID-19 Update (15): Wits prepares to go online
- Wits University
Wits from the Senior Executive Team of Wits University.
Dear Colleagues and Students
This is an uncertain time for all of us – staff, students, members of the Wits community, and society. The sands are shifting daily and many of us are feeling anxious about what happens next – to our health and safety, livelihood, to our education, to our research, to our freedoms and to life as we know it.
Whilst we practice physical distance and social solidarity, this disruption also provides us with an opportunity to reimagine how we live, how we work and how we learn. It also allows us to exercise control over the aspects that we can change – and in this instance, how we can learn and work remotely.
Given the potential of a lockdown and uncertainty around movement in the months ahead, after a deliberative meeting (via Microsoft Teams) this morning, we agreed that:
all faculties must prepare to take the academic programme online within the next two weeks (with the full support of the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development and the Wits ICT teams),
all Deans (with the input of Heads of Schools and academics) will maintain a spreadsheet that will determine how programmes can be transitioned to a remote format,
students will have to prepare to work online, and
the precise date on which the University will reopen and the format in which the academic programme will commence, is still to be determined.
Some of the issues that were discussed are reflected below, including:
the digital divide and how to mitigate against deepening this divide,
a database analysis indicates that only about 25 out of Wits’ 38 000 students do not have a mobile phone,
access to smart mobile devices (a quick survey has determined that about 90% of first year students have access to a smart mobile device) and Deans and faculty will look for practical solutions for the remaining students,
access to data (the University has secured zero rated sites from MTN, Telkom and Vodacom, which means that staff and students can access these sites at no cost), and
the anxiety of some staff members who are used to contact teaching and who have not been exposed to online learning systems or software (it was agreed that CLTD and Wits ICT would talk academics through these aspects).
We are still deliberating on a number of issues including the minimum requirements for online and distance learning and teaching (infrastructure, data, content modification) and the potential for introducing alternative assessments where applicable. A plan which details the form in which online teaching will take place will be shared in the coming days, in consultation with staff in the faculties.
Please send all your questions, suggestions and concerns to vco.news@wits.ac.za.
In the meanwhile, please keep calm, keep safe, and look out for our latest updates at www.wits.ac.za/covid19. We can overcome this global challenge together.
Thank you
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
23 MARCH 2020 (18:00)
Wits COVID-19 Update (16): Ways to learn and work from home
- Wits University
Message from the Senior Executive Team of Wits University.
Dear Colleagues and Students
Following the announcement by the President of a national lockdown from midnight on Thursday, 26 March 2020, for three weeks, we all need to follow the directive of the President and take responsibility to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Despite the lockdown only coming into effect on Thursday, we still urge staff members to work from home as far as possible. Staff should only go into the office under exceptional circumstances. Once the lockdown is in effect, line managers will inform essential staff directly if they need to be at work and will provide them with a requisite letter in case they are stopped by authorities.
All students have left the residences aside from those who have made special arrangements with the Dean of Student Affairs (including senior medical students). The precise date on which the University will reopen and the format in which the academic programme will commence, will be announced later this week. Faculties will communicate with students as the academic programme transitions online.
Many staff members and students have also requested to know more about the technology and software available to enable them to work from home. We hope that this Q&A will assist you in working remotely from your mobile device.
Q. What software is available for staff and students?
A. The following software systems are available to staff and students:
Wits-e, also known as Sakai, is the official learning management system (LMS) at Wits University. This platform can be used to create virtual classrooms, to post lecture notes and reading lists, and to upload podcasts and videos. It can also be used to collaborate online with students in a particular class or group, and can be used to accept assignments and manage assessments.
All students and staff have access to Microsoft Teams, which is ideal for conducting and recording online lectures, and which can also be used for online staff meetings. Learn more about how you can have online team meetings and make calls, etc. Wits ICT has created videos to assist staff to host and record online lectures. To access all the Office 365 tools from home click here. This includes Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams and more. You will need to log in using your StaffNo@wits.ac.za and your normal password.
The third platform, Canvas, is used for fully online courses.
Moodle is also used in a few schools.
Q. What if I do not have access to data?
A. Vodacom and Telkom have zero-rated Microsoft Teams in order for staff and students to access it free of charge. Vodacom, MTN and Telkom have also zero-rated other Wits sites.
But please note, the one issue that has beenencountered, thus far, is that students should have some data on their phones in order to reach the zero-rated site. They will then not be charged for data used will in the site. If that fails, they can log a ticket athttps://witshelp-ism.saasiteu.com/and the ticket will be routed accordingly.
Q: What other support is available?
A: The Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD) team is developing support material to help academics create meaningful online learning interactions. These resources will be shared in the "Dealing with Disruption" site on Wits-e. Academics can enrol themselves onto this project site. There are also faculty specific sites such as the “CLM Rapid Online Teaching Toolkit”. Please enquire with your respective Faculty Teaching and Learning Units on what specialised resources are available. The Microsoft educator community has many useful lessons and guides. Please sign-up to the community using your Wits credentials.
Q: How do I access SIMS and the iWits suite?
A. Staff members can access SIMS and iWits remotely, but must install a link to Wits’ Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Q. What is a VPN? Why do I need it? How can I access it?
A. Wits’ Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows staff and students to access private e-resources at Wits, which would otherwise not be accessible via commercial internet connections from their homes or mobile networks. To install the VPN, click here. Select the appropriate operating system for your computer or device to download a .zip file containing an installation package, as well as instructions.
Q: How do staff access email and the Intranet?
A: Staff can access these via the staff ICT resources section on the main Wits website. Use your normal login credentials. Please note that access to the Intranet requires a VPN.
Q. Who can I call for support?
A: The Wits ICT helpdesk is available via ithelp@wits.ac.za. You can also call the helpdesk on (011) 717 1717 or log a ticket online via Wits ITSM. Both staff and students can email the wits-e@wits.ac.za for help with wits-e.
Conclusion
Deans will be stewarding the transition to online teaching and learning in their respective faculties in the coming days. We understand that some staff and students may have anxiety whilst transitioning online. Wits ICT, CLTD and faculty staff will also be available to assist staff and students where required, albeit remotely. More details will follow later this week.
Keep safe.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
24 MARCH 2020 (11:00)
Official government regulations for #21DaysLockdownSA
- Government Communications Department
Government has released the early directives following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address on Monday night.
The Department of Government Communications and Information System issued the following information on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, about the National Lockdown due to COVID-19:
A 21-day national lockdown has been declared:
The lockdown will begin on the evening of Thursday 26 March 2020 at 23:59. The lockdown will remain in force for 21 days. All South Africans will have to stay at home until midnight on Thursday 16 April 2020. The categories of people exempted from this lockdown are as follows:
• Health workers in the public and private sector, • Emergency personnel, • Security services – such as the police, traffic officers, military medical personnel, soldiers and, • Other persons necessary for our response to the pandemic.
It will also include those involved in the production, distribution and supply of food and basic goods, essential banking services, the maintenance of power, water and telecommunications services, laboratory services, and the provision of medical and hygiene products.
Will I be able to leave my house?
There is no need for panic, as lockdown does not mean a shutdown. People will still be allowed to get to shops and access essential goods and services but in small numbers. It is up to all of us to minimise our movement. Only undertake essential trips outside your home such as to get food, seek medical care or access supplies. When leaving your home try and go out alone, plan your trip and get in and out of your destination as quickly as possible. Practice hygiene when you go out, wash your hands when leaving home, do so again at your destination and before you depart for home.
What about homeless people and those who cannot self-quarantine?
Temporary shelters that meet the necessary hygiene standards will be identified for homeless people. Sites are also being identified for quarantine and self-isolation for people who cannot self-isolate at home.
We are all in this together
All sectors and citizens are working well together to fight the Coronavirus and we must continue to do so. Aggressive containment measures are essential to ensure that the virus does not spread any further. Please continue to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel. We call on everyone to cooperate with government and other sectors to implement the measures.
What services will remain open?
Most shops and businesses will be closed. The police, metro police, military and emergency services will continue to operate. Health care services such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and laboratories will remain open. Banks and essential financial and payment services, including the JSE will remain open. Supermarkets will remain open so that citizens can continue to care for themselves and their families. Petrol stations will remain open. Companies that are essential to the production and transportation of food, basic goods and medical supplies will remain open.
We are expanding efforts to contain the virus
This nationwide lockdown will be accompanied by a public health management programme which will significantly increase screening, testing, contact tracing and medical management. Community health teams will focus on expanding screening and testing where people live, focusing first on high density and high-risk areas. South African citizens and residents arriving from high-risk countries will automatically be placed under quarantine for 14 days. Non-South Africans arriving on flights from high-risk countries will be turned back. International flights to Lanseria Airport will be temporarily suspended. International travellers who arrived in South Africa after 9 March 2020 from high-risk countries will be confined to their hotels until they have completed a 14-day period of quarantine.
A number of economic interventions are being put in place
We have set up a Solidarity Fund, which South African businesses, organisations and individuals, and members of the international community, can contribute to. The Fund will focus efforts to combat the spread of the virus, help us to track the spread, care for those who are ill and support those whose lives are disrupted. The Fund has a website – www.solidarityfund.co.za – and contributions can be deposited via the fund. The Fund will be administered by a reputable team of people, drawn from financial institutions, accounting firms and government. To get things moving, government is providing seed capital of R150 million and the private sector has already pledged to support this fund with financial contributions. We will be spending money to save lives and to support the economy. We must applaud the commitment made in this time of crisis by the Rupert and Oppenheimer families of R1 billion each to assist small businesses and their employees affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
We are assisting businesses
We will be assisting businesses in the informal sector such as spaza shops. Registration is now open, on www.smmesa.gov.za, for small and medium-sized businesses that require help during the coronavirus crisis. The department of Small Business Development has a debt-relief fund for small businesses. Small businesses affected by the outbreak of the coronavirus will be required to produce proof of negative impact as a result of COVID-19. We will further be assisting small businesses to avert job losses through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA). Government has urged malls and retailers to consider rent and payment holidays to tenants negatively affected by the lockdown.
There is no need to stockpile food
Government calls on everyone in the country to avoid panic buying. We are aware that many South Africans are worried about the impact of the coronavirus on essential supplies and food in the country. As government, we are doing everything we can to ensure that we have enough food and all essentials we need. Government has had discussions with manufacturers and distributors of basic necessities, who have indicated that there will be a continuous supply of these goods. Let us be considerate and responsible to ensure that we have enough for everyone especially the most vulnerable in our society.
Our social safety net remains in place
All grants will continue to be paid. To alleviate congestion at payment points, old age pensions and disability grants will be available for collection from 30 and 31 March 2020, while other categories of grants will be available for collection from 01 April 2020. All channels for access will remain open, including ATMs, retail point of sale devices, Post Offices and cash pay points.
Let us stand and face this together
The actions we are taking will challenge us as a nation. But we are convinced that the cost of not acting now would be far greater. In the days, weeks and months ahead our resolve, our resourcefulness and our unity as a nation will be tested as never before. Let us all play our part and ensure that we emerge stronger and more united.
You are not alone!
It is important that you stay connected via the phone, social media or email. Maintain your networks and speak to friends or family regularly. Keep doing enjoyable and relaxing activities such as reading, pc, board or card games, social networking or watching television. Stay informed by getting the facts, not rumours or fake news. Engage children in your care in creative ways; create fun learning activities, play games and try to keep their daily routine going. Stay active by doing simple exercises within your home or garden. Or create an exercise plan specifically to suit your environment.
Wits heroes confront COVID-19
- Wits University
Amongst the best in their fields, Wits experts are at the frontlines and behind-the-scenes against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
Eminent academics at Wits University in disciplines including epidemiology, medicine, public health, biomedical engineering, governance, and others, are the unsung heroes leading the charge against COVID-19.
The pandemic galvanized President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday, 15 March 2020, to invoke a state of disaster in South Africa, and then a national lockdown effective midnight, Thursday, 26 March 2020.
There is hope against this viral pandemic, however.
In concert with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Department of Health, and the South African government, an army of heroic scientists at Wits are helping to understand, predict, and contain COVID-19, manage the public health and socio-economic impact, and develop treatment and care regimens.
The Wits heroes mentioned here represent just a fraction of the University’s community of academic, professional, and support staff who all are working tirelessly and contributing in multiple ways to mitigate this state of disaster.
We salute you all.
Understanding the enemy
Professor of Epidemiology in the Wits School of Public Health, Cheryl Cohen is a medical doctor and co-head of the Centre for Respiratory Disease and Meningitis at the NICD. Through her work she aims to generate evidence to guide policy for the control of respiratory diseases. In 2009, she led the establishment of a national surveillance programme in South Africa for severe acute respiratory infections. She is at the forefront of COVID-19 case-finding, diagnosis, management and public health response. In this video, Cohen explains how the NICD Help Lines can assist the public and healthcare workers respectively.
Adriano Duse is Professor and Head of Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Wits. On 12 March 2020, Duse delivered a public lecture entitled, Myths and Facts about SARS-CoV-2: The COVID-19 Outbreak 2019-2010 – What you can do to reduce infection risk, hosted by the Wits Students’ Pathology Society. In January 2020, Duse delivered a radio Masterclass on Superbugs. Listen to the podcast.
Kerrigan McCarthy is a clinical microbiologist and Head of the Division of Public Health, Surveillance and Response at the NICD. Here her responsibilities include oversight of the Outbreak Response Unit, Notifiable Medical Conditions and GERMS-SA surveillance. McCarthy lectures in the Wits School of Public Health.
Amongst the virus hunters interrogating the epidemiology [patterns and causes of disease] of Covid-19 is microbiologist Lynn Morris, a Research Professor in the School of Pathology at Wits and the Interim Executive Director of the NICD. Morris is internationally recognised for her work in understanding how the antibody response to HIV develops. A National Research Foundation A-rated scientist, she is amongst the most highly cited researchers in the world. Morris has a lifetime’s experience fighting viruses. She explains why COVID-19 presents one of the greatest challenges yet for South Africa and the world.
Understanding each other
A Distinguished Professor of Medical Anthropology and Public Health, Lenore Mandersonis internationally renown for her work in anthropology, social history and public health. She has played a leading role in training and research in inequality, social exclusion and marginality, the social determinants of infectious and chronic disease, gender and sexuality, immigration and ethnicity, in Australian, Asian and African settings.
The advent of COVID-19 prompted the Institute of Plumbing South Africa (IOPSA) to contact Wits for an expert to deliver a Q&A webinar for their members. Given the requirement of taps and plumbing for hand-washing, hygiene and sanitation against the virus, coupled with social distancing, quarantining and isolation protocols, plumbers were understandably concerned. Manderson participated in a 1.5-hour long Q&A session for IOPSA. Watch the PIRB Breakfast Tech Talk – Virus Q&Awebinar.
Associate ProfessorJo Veareyis the Director of the African Centre for Migration & Society at Wits and Director of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence on Migration & Mobility. Given that the coronavirus spread originally via travelling, Vearey cautions against “hypocrisy in a time of Covid-19” and advocates that foreign migrants be included in the Covid-19 response. “The sanctimony of moving from blaming foreign migrants to now rendering them invisible in a critical public health moment will have implications for our response to Covid-19,” says Vearey.
In this podcast, Vearey discusses how South Africa’s impending winter, an historical HIV-AIDS pandemic, and xenophobic attitudes combine to generate surprising and unexpected responses to Covid-19.
Towards treatment
Professor of Vaccinology and paediatrician, Shabir Madhi is Director of the Medical Research Council Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit (RMPRU) at Wits. Madhi holds the NRF/SARChI Chair in Vaccine Preventable Diseases. His research has focused on the epidemiology and clinical development of lifesaving vaccines against pneumonia and diarrhoeal disease and has informed the WHO recommendations on the use of the lifesaving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, and influenza vaccination of pregnant women.
Madhi is the immediate past Director of the NICD and former President of the World Society of Infectious Diseases. He has consulted to the WHO in the fields of vaccinology and pneumonia and to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on pneumonia.
Watch Madhi explain how coronovirus enters the body. Read why pregnant women are not more prone to contracting COVID-19.
On the treatment front, Professor Helen Rees is Executive Director of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI). She chairs the World Health Organization’s (WHO) African Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group and she is Co-Chair of WHO’s Ebola Vaccine Working Group. South Africa is one of 10 countries involved in an urgent global trial, "Solidarity", announced by the WHO to identify the most effective treatment for coronavirus. Listen to Rees discuss South Africa's role in this global study.
Renowned HIV expert, ProfessorFrancois Venteris Director of Ezintsha and Deputy Executive Director of Wits RHI. With an active interest in public sector access to HIV services, medical ethics and human rights, Venter is attuned to the impact of COVID-19 on those with comorbidities such as HIV and TB. He is an advisor to the South African government, to the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society and to the WHO. Venter speaks from quarantine about the changing landscape of COVID-19 and the fundamental role that behaviour change plays in reducing infection.
Caring for the sick
Professor Feroza Motara is Academic Head of Emergency Medicine in the School of Clinical Medicine at Wits and at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital - where the first COVID-19 patient in Gauteng was treated. Motara has since December 2019, when news of the virus broke, been preparing her team and the hospital to care for the ill. Read Motara’s comments about how healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic are coping. “We’re in the profession because there is that dedication and commitment. You still have to go to work and do what you need to do,” she says.
Big Data battle lines
Predicting and anticipating the trajectory of the virus to mitigate casualties and inform policy requires number-crunching, modelling, and analysis of Big Data. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Wits this week launched the most comprehensive data dashboard to date on the COVID-19 virus in South Africa. Wits School of Physics Professor Bruce Mellado-Garcier, who initiated the project, says: “We are experts in analysing and interpreting big data, and we believe that it is important that someone put this data together and present a bigger picture of the impact of the virus on the country.”
Similarly, the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) has developed an interactive map showing the province’s vulnerability to Covid-19. Dr Julia De Kadt, et al, devised this Map of the Month. The GCRO is a partnership between Wits University, the University of Johannesburg, and the Gauteng Provincial Government. Its mandate is building strategic intelligence through improved data, information, analysis and reflective evaluation, for better planning, management and co-operative government.
Expert commentary advancing policy
Professor Karen Hofman is Director of the SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science (PRICELESS SA), a research-to-policy unit that provides evidence, methodologies and tools for effective decision-making in health. PRICELESS SA analyses how scarce resources can be used effectively, efficiently, and equitably to achieve better health outcomes. Some PRICELESS SA research has shown how fiscal, regulatory and legislative levers can improve health via social determinants.
Hofman, with Susan Goldstein, Deputy Director of PRICELESS SA, wrote one of the earliest articles advocating hand-washing, which has since become COVID-19 protocol.
Economist Prof. Imraan Valodia, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at Wits, is currently coordinating an international study, in 10 cities, of the informal economy. His research interests include employment, the informal economy, gender, and industrialisation. He is a part-time member of the Competition Tribunal and a Commissioner on the Employment Conditions Commission and Chair of the National Minimum Wage Advisory Panel.
“The COVID-19 crisis is first and foremost a health and humanitarian crisis that we are all living through, which is likely to have lasting impacts on how we live. It is also likely to have a lasting impact, in the long term, on how we conduct our economic lives”, says Valodia. Read his analysis of the risks on economic inaction of COVID-19.
In the School of Governance, Adjunct Professor Alex Van Den Heever holds the Chair in Social Security Systems Administration and Management studies, which seeks to develop the field of social security postgraduate teaching and research in Africa and South Africa. Van Den Heever has worked in the areas of health economics and finance, public finance and social security. His research interests span healthcare management, healthcare quality, healthcare delivery, cost and economic analysis, health equity, health inequality and disparities, and preventive medicine. Read Van Den Heever’s analysis of the health and economic ramifications of COVID-19.
Innovating against infection
In the Faculty of Science, Head of the School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Prof. Marianne Cronje and her team took the initiative to synthesise virus-killing surface disinfectant and provided limited quantities of this disinfectant freely to University workers ahead of lockdown. The production plant has now been shifted to PIMD, while the school retains scientific oversight.
In the school’s Protein Structure Function Research Unit, Prof. Yasien Sayed coordinated the donation of 56 boxes of protective gloves to healthcare workers at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, after a Wits medical intern mentioned the shortage. Gloves and other PPE (personal protective equipment), such as masks, are critical to preventing infection.
Michael Lucas, a PhD candidate in the School of Mechanical Engineering has developed a revolutionary infection control solution. WATCH Lucas explain how his self-sanitising surface coating will help to address nosocomial [hospital-acquired] infections, as well as mitigate contamination of food processing plants and public transport surfaces. The Antimicrobial Coating Technology is now in its fifth year of development, with implications of preventing infection beyond COVID-19.
Adjunct Professor in Biomedical Engineering David M. Rubin leads the Biomedical Engineering Research Group in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering at Wits. Rubin and biomedical engineer and lecturer, Adam Pantanowitz are working on a model to show the effect of intermittent quarantines. It is currently very limited, but may have some benefit in terms of maintaining essential services and some continuity of economic activity. “At this stage, we’re only demonstrating the concept on standard viral epidemic models rather than a specific COVID-19 model,” cautions Rubin.
Wits COVID Update 17 (Students): Wits to reopen on 20 April
- Wits University
Prof. Habib speaks on living through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Senior Executive Team’s (SET) decision to go into early recess and to evacuate residences.
The target date for Wits to reopen is 20 April 2020, in line with other universities in the higher education sector, but this is dependent on how the pandemic evolves. The mode in which the second block will open is likely to be online and students are thus advised toprepare to go online. Professor Habib addresses issues related to the digital divide, access to smart mobile devices and data, and the University’s agreements with ICT providers tozero-rate sites. Wits has reached out to broadcasting houses to determine if they can provide a solution to reach the 10% of Wits’ students who do not have access to smart mobile devices. This figure is based on the results of a comprehensive biographical questionnaire conducted annually by Wits. Faculties are also exploring a range of other possibilities to ensure that all students are appropriately supported.
Wits COVID Update 17: Staff Appreciation and Reopening
- Wits University
Prof. Adam Habib addresses staff on living through the COVID19 pandemic and expresses his appreciation to staff for their contribution during this period.
The target date for Wits to reopen is 20 April 2020, in line with the rest of the higher education sector, but this is dependent on how the pandemic evolves. The mode in which the second block is likely to be online and staff are thus advised to prepare to take teaching online with the support of Wits ICT, the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development, and Faculty Teaching and Learning units. Students will also require additional support when contact teaching resumes in the form of additional lectures, tutorials and boot camps, as appropriate.
The video addresses issues related to the digital divide, access to smart mobile devices and data, and the University’s agreements with ICT providers to zero-rate sites. Wits has reached out to broadcasting houses to determine if they can provide a solution to reach 10% of Wits’ students who do not have access to smart mobile devices. Faculties should also explore other practical ways in which this can be achieved.
The role of essential staff during the national lockdown.
MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
Dear Colleagues
Please note the University’s position on the role of essential staff during the national lockdown period:
1. Staff that are not essential services staff and are able to work from home during the lockdown period are required to work;
2. Staff that are not essential services staff and are not able to work from home but would ordinarily be required to work are not expected to come to campus and work; and
3. Staff that are essential services staff are required to work on a rotational basis where appropriate.
In terms of Section B(1) of Annexure B of the amended Regulations issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 on 25 March 2020 (“the Regulations”) the following categories of staff are considered essential services staff:
a. Medical Services;
b. Animal Care Services;
c. Financial Services necessary to maintain the functions of the payments environment;
d. Laboratory Services;
e. Cleaning, Sanitation and Waste Removal Services;
f. Security Services;
g. Critical Maintenance Services; and
h. Staff assisting with accommodation for essential services staff.
The relevant line managers, who have been appropriately authorised, will be in contact with employees who form part of essential services with a plan on how operations will be expected to continue during the lockdown period. Essential services employees will be issued with a formal letter and permit from the University which authorises them to leave their places of residence to attend to work.
The University will ensure that the proper precautions are taken in the workplace to mitigate against the risks identified in the context of COVID-19.
The Senior Executive Team is finalising a protocol around leave and other arrangements. This will be shared with organised labour and staff in due course.
Once again we thank all staff for their contribution to the University and society during these exceptionally difficult times.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
26 MARCH 2020 (16:00)
'You can do more,' economists tell SA government
- Wits University
50+ economists and others from Wits are part of a group of more than 78 who wrote an open letter urging President Cyril Ramaphosa for more significant action.
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA AND THE CABINET FROM SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMISTS, BUSINESS ANALYSTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE ADVOCATES:
Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa,
We commend you and your government for the bold and decisive public health measures that you have taken in response to the crisis precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome measures to stem the spread of the virus.
We are writing to you to suggest other measures that are urgently required to support and stabilise the economy and assist those hardest hit by the crisis. As you have noted, these public-health interventions will have significant adverse economic effects, compounding the persistence of inequalities in living conditions, wealth, income, and access to health and other services.
It is widely predicted that the virus will trigger a global recession, due to collapsing demand and the supply shocks this crisis will entail. It is estimated that South Africa’s GDP could contract by between 1.8 and 7%, with devastating impacts on jobs and livelihoods. This looming crisis requires large-scale economic interventions. For example, the United Kingdom, France and the United States have injected resources totalling 18.9%, 13.6% and 10.7% of GDP into their economies respectively. To date, the measures announced by the South African government, although welcome, do not match the scale of the challenge.
In the face of this looming crisis we believe more significant action is required. These interventions must protect the most vulnerable.
This response is different from previous attempts to resuscitate ailing economies. We must both acknowledge that physical distancing and a lockdown will slow economic activity, and that extraordinary measures are needed to cushion the resultant hardship and avoid long-term social and economic harm.
There is a significant risk that millions in poverty will fall into destitution; millions more, currently in work, will be driven into poverty and become unable to meet their basic needs; and thousands of businesses will be forced to close due to falling demand as a result of the lockdown, falling incomes and a contraction of economic activity. The self-employed, atypically employed, informal workers, and small businesses, are particularly vulnerable, but none will be exempt from its effects. Traditional social support networks will be disrupted. The long-term impact on business capacity, and physical, financial, and human capital, could be devastating to our already ailing economy. In any already deeply unequal society, we know that the hardship will fall hardest on black people, and especially black women and children.
Economic interventions must therefore aim to:
support households and communities,
protect workers,
sustain businesses,
strengthen public health interventions;
and strengthen the economy.
While we appreciate efforts already undertaken in each of these areas, we are concerned that they are not comprehensive enough, and are not being implemented sufficiently rapidly or on a large enough scale to prevent real hardship for millions of South Africans. While we recognise that the stringent social isolation measures are unavoidable, we need to commit as a society to ensuring they do not cause unnecessary hardship to our people, and especially to the working poor and other vulnerable groups.
The following measures indicate the kinds of opportunities that are available:
Support households and communities:
Income transfers to lower-income and affected households, in the form of a special COVID-19 grant, a top-up to existing grants, and/or a universal basic income grant. Creativity is needed to speed up delivery, including income transfers via digital payment mechanisms. We appreciate the practical difficulties involved.
Targeted, temporary and compulsory payment holidays from municipal taxes, rent and mortgages, and other debts owed, and a ban on evictions from houses, including on farms.
Undertake measures to relieve women of the burden of care, in and outside the home, for example, by the provision of childcare for essential workers and additional income support.
Ensure food security and food sovereignty through a coordinated and safe roll-out of food packages in food-stressed neighbourhoods, working with community groups to build collective action and solidarity. Children require special attention.
Protect workers:
Guarantee wage payments so that monthly wages of all workers are secured for the full duration of the lockdown. The expansion in UIF payments is both welcome and critical. , but this should be a fallback, not a default.
Rigorous implementation of leave requirements so that workers are not forced to use annual leave during the furlough period, and ensuring temporary workers as sufficiently accommodated.
Extend unemployment benefits to casual and informal-economy workers, including the provision of temporary unemployment payouts for lost income during periods of lockdown.
Ensure additional health and safety provisions are in place for essential workers and for when workers return to work.
Sustain businesses:
Significantly expand access to low-rate emergency loans, including through low-cost liquidity provision by the South African Reserve Bank. The current amount of funds available, and the voluntary nature of the “solidarity fund”, fall well short of the expected need. Moreover, there is some evidence that the solidarity fund has diverted donors from other charities that play a vital role in supporting the most vulnerable.
Targeted, temporary and compulsory payment holidays from municipal taxes, rent and mortgages, and other debts owed.
Other forms of targeted and temporary tax relief if low-cost loans and payment holidays are insufficient.
Increase the additional resources that are being directed to the health system, including for testing, treatment, medicines, community health care, and COVID-19 scientific research.
Strengthen public health interventions:
Strengthen the requirement for resources to be pooled between private and public healthcare providers, particularly for free testing and treatment of COVID affected patients.
Rapidly scale up government’s attempts at the local production of critically needed health products, medicine and equipment.
Scale up efforts to ensure greater access to water and sanitation, through the provision of water access points, safe ablution facilities, and removing restrictions on homes with water metres. The provision of soap and/or sanitiser is important.
Ensure free mobile data and public internet access, to keep the public informed and curb the spread of fake news.
Strengthen the economy:
Monetary policy measures to guard against capital flight and manage the exchange rate, ensure access to affordable credit, and ensure sustainable government bond rates. A “helicopter drop” of funds to households - for example, R1000 for each individual for a period of four months - could complement the grants discussed above.
Reviewing the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework which requires considerable budget cuts, including in wages and healthcare.
We appreciate the Temporary Employment Relief Scheme, which aims to prevent retrenchments while maintaining standards. In the past, however, ensuring rapid and effective scaling up of the scheme has proven difficult. It is crucial that implementation be prioritised in the current crisis.
These measures will require additional government financing. We appreciate the effort to mobilise funds outside the fiscus - such as the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Public Investment Corporation (PIC), Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). However, the scale of interventions required will necessitate additional fiscal and monetary expansion by the Treasury and SARB respectively, as has been the case worldwide. A concrete plan for responsibly managing this must be tabled, a number of signatories are working on proposals in this regard. In addition, we support your call for global transfers and action on the international level.
Commitment, implementation and responsiveness remain a major challenge. While swift action has been taken on health responses, economic interventions have been subject to delay, confusion and incoherence. We need to accept that as with health policy, some risks will need to be taken in this unprecedented situation.
While the Presidency must direct interventions, as far as possible the economic interventions should seek to empower communities, promote their mobilisation, and build social solidarity, as has been noted by a wide number of civil society organisations.
The Presidency must reassure the most vulnerable people and businesses that they will be protected.
This moment calls for all South Africans to contribute. We are willing to support in advancing these shared objectives. We would welcome the opportunity to put these proposals before yourself and the appropriate forums and provide additional technical support as needed.
Yours sincerely,
[List of Wits University authors(*):]
Professor Vishnu Padayachee - Distinguished Professor and Derek Schrier and Cecily Cameron Chair in Development Economics, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Dr Gilad Isaacs - Co-Director, Institute for Economic Justice and School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Lumkile Mondi - Senior Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Imraan Valodia - Dean of Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor David Everatt - Head of School, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Uma Kollamparambil - Head of School, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Pundy Pillay - Professor of Economics, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Dr Laura Rossouw - Senior Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Mills Soko - Professor of International Business and Strategy, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Ben Fine - Visiting Professor of Economics, University of the Witwatersrand, and Emeritus SOAS
Dr Mthokozisi Mlilo - Senior Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of Witwatersrand
Dr John Khumalo - Senior Lecturer, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Halfdan Lynge-Mangueira - Senior Lecturer, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Dr Nicolas Pons-Vignon - Senior Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Cheryl-Lyn Selman - School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Sibulele Nkunzi - Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
David Francis - Deputy Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand
Thabo Dikobe - Lecturer, Wits Business School
Ayanda Magida - Researcher, Wits Business School
Professor Rod Crompton - Adjunct Professor, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
Rubina Jogee - Lecturer, School of Economics and Finance, University of the Witwatersrand
Mark Everett - Executive Manager CLEAR-AA, University of the Witwatersrand
Aroop Chatterjee - Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of Witwatersrand
Avril Joffe - Head of Department, Cultural Police and Management, University of the Witwatersrand
Tlhalefang Moeletsi - Researcher, School of Economics and Business Science, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Stephanie Allais - Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Researching Education and Labour, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Tshepo Madlingozi - Director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Jackie Dugard - Associate Professor, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Firoz Cachalia - Adjunct Professor, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Tracy-Lynn Humby - Professor, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Sonia Newton - Senior Programme Manager, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
Kemantha Govender - Communications Manager, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Jonathan Klaaren - Professor, Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER), University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Vishwas Satgar - Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand
Sibusisiwe Ndlovu - Exams Marking Officer, Wits School of Business, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Ian Goldman - Professor, Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Emeritus Edward Webster - Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, University of Witwatersrand
Zubeida Bagus - Business Manager, Faculty of Commerce Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand
Sky Konrad, Finance Officer - CLEAR-AA, FCLM, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Anthoni van Nieuwkerk - Peace and Security Studies, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Jill Bradbury, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Michelle Williams, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Salim Akoojee, Associate Professor and Senior Researcher, REAL at University of Witwatersrand and School of Education at University of Nottingham
(*) The list continues to grow as the letter reaches more people.
- Dr Ajwang' Warria, Wits Department of Social Work
Strategies for parents to engage with their children at home during Covid-19 lockdown.
The national lockdown as a result of the coronavirus started in South Africa at 23:59 on Thursday, 26 March. Exposure to uncertainty has heightened anxiety levels and stretched the care and protection mechanisms normally provided at home.
Children, in particular, are vulnerable to the extraordinary circumstances of lockdown, social distancing, and a global pandemic.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) indicates special obligations for the caregivers of children in times similar to these. The best interest principle stresses that children should be assisted and protected at all times and their developmental needs met.
Covid-19 presents parents and caregivers an opportunity to deepen their participation in the lives of their children, mitigate harmful consequences and thereby safeguard their children's futures.
The impact that the coronavirus might have on children will vary and their responses could be influenced by factors such as gender, social support, age, inherent resilience, and level of exposure to the virus. What remains evident is that children tend to rely on parents for their emotional needs. Thus, parents (and any primary caregivers) can play a crucial central role as children’s sources of safety, security, and information.
The family is one of the most important systems of a child’s life. The collective nature of care that happens within the home setting is crucial, as many people, including children, look to their family for support when they face challenges. Social and cultural factors influence the care that people give and receive within these networks of care.
Here are some strategies for parents to engage with their children at home during Covid-19 lockdown. These strategies are drawn from a published study, which investigated strategies used by parents in Kenya to support children during terrorism acts:
Engage the child in open conversations using a language that the child can understand. Avoiding discussions may make the child more fearful and anxious. During the lockdown, remember that parents might be the only available support to the child. However, this support could also (be nurtured to) include older siblings, grandparents, teachers, etc. who can be accessed online.
As parents/caregivers, manage your own anxieties, which will help your children cope. Your well-being is imperative to your children’s wellbeing and recovery, as children sometimes regulate their own emotions based on the emotional response of their parents/caregivers.
Answer your children’s questions. The kinds of questions asked by children range from issues of safety, access to medical care, recovery, death, schooling, friends, teachers, pets, etc. Parents should respond both to their children’s anxieties (emotionally, by providing reassurance) and to the question itself. Children can ask difficult questions, but parents should not shy away from answering. Do not give a child false information – rather provide reassurance and let your child know that you will look up accurate information and share it with them. Children’s questions are essential. Questioning permits children to exercise their right to participation on matters concerning them.
Listen! Children need to make sense of things happening around them. The ability of parents/caregivers to actively and intently listen to their child is crucial. Parents/caregivers who are constantly glued to their cell phones for coronavirus updates might miss the opportunity to provide the secure base needed for children to take risks and ask frightening questions.
Provide accurate, factual information. Generally, children might not have clear, factual information. It is vital that parents/caregivers help children to understand what is happening, i.e., tell the real story reassuringly and holistically. This also presents an opportunity to rectify any incorrect information or misconceptions your children might have heard about or read.
Covid-19- related events have altered the way we do and see things. Thus, it is important to maintain a daily routine. Performing everyday activities as far is possible is vital, as this routine provides the structure that children rely on. By maintaining familiar schedules, based on age, gender and culture, children can establish normalcy, which will reduce their anxieties.
Monitor exposure to media. Continuous repetitions of Covid-19 news in any form risks re-traumatising or causing secondary trauma to children. Protect your children from what you think and know would exacerbate their anxieties and that which is unhelpful towards their healing.
Help build resilience in your children by facilitating play, nurturing care and celebrating survival with them on an on-going basis. Resilience can go a long way post-Covid-19.
Consider and plan for the worst-case-scenario. Parents/caregivers need to think about and work out alternative care arrangements for their children, should the parents/caregivers fall ill or die. Discuss these arrangements with children (reassuringly!) in an age-appropriate manner and with those identified and expected to provide care.
Look after yourself. Care for parents/caregivers is also vital. Engage in a relaxing activity and check-in with other parents. Share problem-solving strategies and support each other towards for effective childcare. These safe spaces enable parents/caregivers to talk about their own Covid-19-related (parenting) challenges and pain. Parents/caregivers need to monitor their own mental health and, if they have difficulties caring for their children, seek professional help.
-600x300.jpg "Professor Lynn Morris received the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award in June 2017")
