Data provisioning and other updates

30 April 2020 | Campus Announcement

Dear students

This campus announcement aims to inform the University of Cape Town community about recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) developments and other updates on campus.

1. How to help another student with a mobile data bundle from UCT

The university is providing data bundles for all students who have a valid South African mobile number recorded in PeopleSoft. There is an awareness that some students already have adequate internet access at home to study effectively. This is based on the survey UCT students recently completed. Students who have sufficient internet access are encouraged to consider opting out of receiving a data bundle so that the university can focus resources on helping students in need.

Read the COO Desk: How to help another student with a mobile data bundle from UCT.

2. Data provisioning and laptop deliveries continuing

UCT is continuing to attend to laptop deliveries and provisioning of data to students as urgently as possible.

Laptop deliveries started on 24 April and only a limited number can be delivered per day. UCT is working as fast as possible to complete the deliveries by, at the latest, 8 May. Students with MTN and Telkom Mobile received data last week, while Vodacom started loading data on 28 April. Cell C data is being provisioned since midnight on 30 April.

Students who have not received the data or laptops are asked to log a call with ICTS-helpdesk@uct.ac.za for assistance only after the dates specified above.

All four network providers have now zero-rated access to specified UCT sites. A dedicated webpage has been created on the ICTS website that will be updated regularly when and if additional sites are zero-rated.

3. Update on UCT COVID-19 cases

UCT has not had any reported new cases of COVID-19 since the last weekly update issued on 22 April. The university has now gone for three successive weeks without any new infections.

View the Coronavirus Disease 2019 feature page.

4. SHAWCO launches #BeKindOnline initiative

UCT’s Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO) has launched the #BeKindOnline initiative in an effort to provide food and sanitary essentials to three of Cape Town’s most marginalised communities.

Spearheaded by SHAWCO, in association with local non-governmental organisations, the #BeKindOnline initiative has committed to feeding 1 000 families in Manenberg on the Cape Flats and providing essential sanitary parcels to 500 families in Hout Bay’s Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg informal settlements in the next few days. In order to successfully reach this goal, SHAWCO is calling on the UCT campus community and greater Cape Town to contribute.

To feed one person a day costs just R11; to feed that same person for a full week costs R77; and R308 is what it costs to feed a family of four for seven days. Sanitary parcels cost R200 (or R50 per week) and include soap, hand sanitiser, sanitary towels, household detergents, a bucket and sponge, masks, as well as health promotional pamphlets in English and isiXhosa.

Banking details for donations:

Standard Bank | Account name: SHAWCO | Account type: Business Cheque

Account no: 072 713 305 | Branch: 025 009 | Swift code: SBZAZAJJ | Reference: Your name

5. How UCT is supporting research work during COVID-19

The lockdown due to COVID-19 has had a significant impact on UCT’s research work. However, the university has taken various actions to support researchers and postgraduate students. An immediate concern to the research community is the effect of the lockdown on research contracts and the need to secure ongoing funding. The Research Contracts and Innovation Office have engaged proactively with sponsors and funding agencies for the possibility of extending contracts. The research office has also developed a selection of FAQs around aspects of research at UCT that aim to support researchers during this unusual period.

Read the DVC Desk: How UCT is supporting research work during COVID-19 Update.

6. Conference Management Centre online support

The Conference Management Centre (CMC) at UCT is available to support online event needs during these times of uncertainty. The CMC is making use of the Microsoft Teams and Zoom platforms. This includes live polling, note taking, recording content and feedback surveys. CMC is also offering its services for basic online events at no charge during the COVID-19 pandemic.