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

Dear students

As Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng announced last week, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is providing data bundles for all students who have a valid South African mobile number recorded in PeopleSoft. If you need a data bundle and have not updated PeopleSoft with your South African mobile number, please do so now.

• Read the announcement about data bundles.
• Update PeopleSoft immediately with your South African mobile number.

These data bundles do come at a cost to UCT and they are valid for only 30 days. However, we face the strong possibility that online learning will need to continue beyond that 30-day period.

We are aware that some of you already have adequate internet access at home to study effectively. This is based on the survey UCT students recently completed. I am writing to ask those of you who have sufficient internet access to consider opting out of receiving a data bundle so that we can focus UCT resources on helping students in need.

We know that UCT students have already taken up this call. The Health Sciences Students Council and the Law Students Council have both issued similar appeals to students across their respective faculties. Each of those initiatives uses a different system. We applaud the compassion and solidarity that is at the heart of these appeals. It is with this spirit of social solidarity in mind that I ask you to use the “opt out” option provided below, as that will allow you to not only assist another student, but also to help the university to gauge the need across the institution so we can plan more effectively for possible future needs. To opt out, please follow the link below, navigate to the Biographic tab and select “No” under the “Mobile Data required” section.

• Assist another student and UCT by opting out of receiving a data bundle you do not need.

COVID-19 has created a crisis that everybody around the world is experiencing in different ways. I am encouraged by the creative responses different members of the UCT community are making to help each other through this difficult experience. I thank you for everything you are doing to help during these times.

Sincerely

Dr Reno Morar
Chief Operating Officer

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements