MY SPEECH AT THE 2015 YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

CPUT HIV/AIDS Unit HOD

Acting Dean of Students

HOD's present

Department of Higher Education Representatives present

CPUT Staff members

SRC members from across the Western Cape Province 

Peer Educators

Students 

All protocol observed 

Humbly receive my greetings 

Today's young people are the first generation that has never known a world without HIV and AIDS.

HIV is more prevalent in South Africa, than anywhere else in the world. According to the Department of Health in 2012 more than 12% of the population was infected

Young people remain at the centre of the epidemic and they have the power, through their leadership, to definitively change the course of the AIDS epidemic.

One thing that we fully need to understand and know is what HIV is and how it differs from AIDS.

HIV is the virus that weakens a person's ability to fight infections and cancer. People with HIV are said to have AIDS when they develop certain infections or cancers or when their CD4 count is less than 800.

Once HIV has entered the body, it replicates. A virus cannot make a copy of itself on its own; it needs to invade a healthy cell in your body to survive. HIV targets and invades CD4 cells. CD4 cells help the body’s immune system and protect it against germs and viruses that make us sick. 

AIDS is the more advanced stage of HIV infection. When the immune system CD4 cells drop to a very low level, a person's ability to fight infection is lost. Without HIV treatment, full-blown AIDS starts to develop. During this last phase of the disease, the virus severely damages the immune system to a point where the body can no longer fight a number of viral, fungal, bacterial and parasitic infections that invade

Having HIV does not always mean that you have AIDS. It can take many years for people with the virus to develop AIDS. 

Irrespective of many efforts done by the Department of Health to lower the numbers of new HIV infections still to many people get infected. The department has made it easy for everyone to have access to contraceptives such as condoms. New condoms have been established by the department to encourage people especially the youth to use contraceptives as a way of protecting themselves from STI’s/STD’s particularly the HI virus. Flavoured condoms; finger condoms; dental wraps (for oral sex); and femidoms (female condoms) are some of the condoms that have been introduced. Even so, the vast majority of people in our country do not know how to use a condom correctly. This is one of the major contributions to the incline of STI’s/STD’s. The government is doing more than expected to promote safe sex.  Illiteracy cannot be blamed for the incline of HIV in South Africa. 

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

We need to create awareness to prevent further HIV infections, and secondly, we need to provide care and treatment to help those already infected to remain healthy and productive for as long as possible.

We need to adapt a non-discrimination policy!

Voluntary counselling and testing are one of the measures we can use to fight this incline. E.g. taking your partner to a clinic or hospital for an HIV test together that shows you are responsible.

We need to support Prevention Programs and stop having a negative attitude towards them. E.g. condoms

 Moving forward

Bloom describes Gender-based violence (GBV) as the general term used to capture violence that occurs as a result of the normative role expectations associated with each gender, along with the unequal power relationships between the two genders, within the context of a specific society.

Firstly, we need to understand the difference between sex and gender. Sex is what you are born with, whether it is your vagina, breasts or penis. Gender is the way you as an individual preserve yourself. For example one may be a man but classify himself as a woman.

While women, girls, men and boys can be victims of GBV, we will focus on the violence against women and girls for it is the most common reported.

This is not to say that gender-based violence against men does not exist. For instance, men can become targets of physical or verbal attacks for transgressing predominant concepts of masculinity, for example because they have sex with men. Men can also become victims of violence in the family – by partners or children. The only difference is men don’t voice out for they are ashamed of being at as a less man in society.

The primary targets of GBV are women and adolescent girls, but not only are they at high risk of GBV; they also suffer intensified consequences as compared with what men endure. As a result of gender discrimination and their lower socio-economic status, women have fewer options and fewer resources at their disposal to avoid or escape abusive situations and to seek justice.

Forms of violence against women:

• Domestic violence
• Physical violence
• Sexual violence
• Psychological violence
•  Threats of violence and harm
•  Emotional violence
• Isolation
• Use of children 
• Economic Violence

Currently South Africa ranks number 1 in the entire world for GBV.  It’s sad to see the mentality that women are of less value to men and that women cannot question the man they ought to be subjective to him for it is their duty as a women to bow down to men. It’s sad to see the mentality that women ought to be beat up in order for him to prove his love for her. It’s sad to see women staying in an abusive relationship because of love. It is even more terrifying when her body leaves their house a corpse as it could not take any further punishment from him. It’s sad to see women being called degrading simply because of her gender and sex.

Although I will not dwell much of it, women are oppressed even by religion. A few months back in Northern Africa, a woman was gang raped and beat with 200 lashes and prisoned for walking alone in town for that country or city women are not permitted to walk alone in town.

We as young men need to stop teaching young boys to view women as sex slaves. We need to stop drilling into young boys’ heads that they are sex power hungry humans that look down upon women. It is sad to go into a township and hear the language 7, 8, 9, 10 year old speak. It freighting Let us groom our boys to take care of women and treat them the way we would like our mothers, sisters and daughters to be treated.

 Let us do to the world what we want it do for us.  I thank you.

2015 Young Leadership HIV/AIDS Conference.

On the 5^th of September, young leaders from various structures across the Western Cape universities and TVET colleges met at the CPUT Bellville campus to commence a two day Young Leadership HIV/AIDS Conference.

The focus of the Youth Leaders HIV Conference was to showcase young leadership and HIV, share best practises and challenges.

The Conference Rationale was to support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy through focus areas: Men's Health which includes gender-based violence, voluntary medical male circumcision, health, fitness & nutrition; Women's Health which also includes teenage pregnancy, breast cancer screening, 'sugar daddies', health, nutrition & fitness; HIV Counselling & testing; Alcohol & substance abuse; HIV Curriculum Integration; LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Intersex); Radio & Social media; and HIV Counselling & Testing & Care & Support interventions

Structures that delegated student leadership representatives included Women in Leadership, Peer Educators, Peer Helpers, Debate Society, SASCO,  Religious structures, SRC, House Committees and other student bodies from universities such the Stellenbosch University , University of Cape Town, University Western Cape and TVET colleges.

Among others the conference was graced with the presence of Professor Louis Fourie (the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Knowledge and Information Technology Services from the CPUT institution); Advocate Harper (Acting Dean of Student Affairs); Dr. Ramneek Ahluwalia (Director HEAIDS);  and Sibusiso Twala (CPUT Mowbray LSRC secretary), who all congratulated not only the Peer Educators but students at large for their role in creating awareness of the HIV epidemic and also reminded student leaders to lead from the front and not to lead from the back. 

The HIV epidemic is a fight to be fought by everyone and not just Peer Educators. They also reminded the delegates that attended the conference that education does play a role in this epidemic as our education level is still low not only in South Africa but the entire Africa. Some factors that contribute to the incline of HIV is because some cultures still refuse the use of condoms as it is believed to be ‘un-African’.  It is up to us as young leaders to change that mindset. We need to go back with the information we have learnt and share it with our respective communities.  

Also noticeable among the speakers was a Mechanical Engineering Graduate from the CPUT, Musa Morgan, who invented Uyindoda, Male Medical Circumcision Underwear,  a wound covering bandage for men that have undergone Voluntarily Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) are in the healing process. 

“WE DIE OF TB” – TB IS AN EMERGENCY!

On the 24^th of March, World Tuberculosis Day, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) marched to the National Parliament demanding accountability from our government on Drug Resistance TB. Several thousand people joined TAC’s march to parliament to mark World TB Day by handing over a memorandum addressed to the Secretary of Parliament.

“We are marching to ask MPs to show their solidarity with the people by getting tested for TB,” TAC said in the memorandum. “TB has for far too long been a part of how we live and die in South Africa.

Many people in our communities still die of TB. According to Statistics South Africa, TB is the most commonly reported cause of death in South Africa. We know that if things do not Change dramatically, many of us marching today will die of TB.”

According to TAC, in 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.3 million died from TB. It is a leading killer of people living with HIV causing one fifth of all deaths.

                                                                                        

Carrying banners written things like “Better TB treatment now”, “We die of TB”, “MPs = TB suspects”, marchers burst into song through the streets of Cape Town from Keizersgracht to parliament.

In the memo handed to deputy secretary of parliament Baby Tyawa by TAC member Phumeza Runeyi, TAC and other civil society movements including Sonke, Diamond Life Projects, SPII, SWEAT, the People’s Health Movement, Medecins sans Frontieres, the United Front and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, called on MPs to test for TB, and to hold relevant government departments accountable for their response to TB.

In the memorandum TAC demands the following:

• The availability of Multi drug TB treatment.
• Decentralization of XDR and MDR treatment/care and services
• Better diagnostic tools for MDR & XDR patients
• TB in prisons (Better management of TB in prison)
• Access to multi drug TB treatment

The organisations called on the Department of Health to improve access to treatment, including drugs such as bedaquiline and linezolid, on the Department of Justice and Correctional Services to deal with overcrowding in prisons, on the Department of Trade and Industry to reform the patent laws so that TB medicines would become affordable, on the Departments of Mineral Resources and Public Works to improve air quality and ventilation in mines, prisons, hospitals and other public buildings, and on the Department of Science and Technology to increase research into new TB medicines.

SIMPLE SAVING TIPS FOR ALL STUDENTS

Whether you a first year student or a returning student, saving money is something we all should adapt to. Being thousands of kilometers away from home requires you to be mature and so does your wallet. 

One common question that has been asked is what is the first step to saving money is? For this is the step many students tend to get stuck in. At times it can be difficult to figure out simple ways to save money and how to use your savings to pursue your financial goals. This step-by-step guide can help you develop a realistic savings plan.

1. RECORD YOUR EXPENSES

The first step in saving money is to know how much you’re spending. For one month, keep a record of everything you spend. That means every coffee, every airtime and every snack you purchase for the entire month. Once you have your data, organize these numbers by category—for example groceries, transportation fee and so fourth - and get the total amount for each.

2. MAKE A BUDGET

Now that you have a good idea of what you spend in a month, you can build a budget to plan your spending, limit over-spending and make sure that you put money away in an emergency savings fund. Remember to include expenses that happen regularly, but not every month, like if you a student with a car you, your car will require service once in a while. 

3. PLAN ON SAVING MONEY

Taking into consideration your monthly expenses and earnings, create a savings category within your budget and try to make it at least 10-15 percent of your net income. If your expenses won't let you save that much, it might be time to cut back on some luxury items i.e. not buying for favorite chocolate slab will not hurt you for one month. Look for non-essentials that you can spend less on—for example, entertainment and dining out - before thinking about saving money on essentials such as your vehicle or home. Also make use to cheaper restaurants for example, Eastern Food Bazaar, sells qualitative food at reasonable prices that students can also afford.

4. SET SAVINGS GOALS

Setting savings goals makes it much easier to get started. Begin by deciding how long it will take to reach each goal.

Some short-term goals (which can usually take 1-3 months) include:

• Saving money to buy a flight ticket back home during Varsity holidays
• Saving to buy a new smartphone
• Saving to buy new sneakers

Long-term savings goals are often for over 3 months and can include:

• Saving for the year end party
• Putting money away for December vacations

5. DECIDE ON YOUR PRIORITIES

Different people have different priorities when it comes to saving money, so it makes sense to decide which savings goals are most important to you. Part of this process is deciding how long you can wait to save up for a goal and how much you want to put away each month to help you reach it. As you do this for all your goals, order them by priority and set money aside accordingly in your monthly budget. Remember that setting priorities means making choices.

7. MAKE SAVING MONEY EASIER WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFERS

Automatic transfers to your savings account can make saving money much easier. By moving money out of your account, you'll be less likely to spend money you wanted to use for savings. There are many options for setting up transfers. You choose how often you want to transfer money and which accounts you want to use for the transfers. You can even split your direct deposit between your checking and savings accounts to contribute to your savings with each paycheck. Thinking of saving as a regular expense is a great way to keep on target with your savings goals.

8. WATCH YOUR SAVINGS GROW

Check your progress every month. Not only will this help you stick to your personal savings plan, but it also helps you identify and fix problems quickly.

For more information on how to save you can contact your Local Student Representative Council (LSRC) Finance and Projects Officer, Luchulumanco Nanto at SRC Office, Student Centre or alternatively you can visit Student Counselling office which is at 2^nd Floor Administration Building.  

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM: LESS REACTION AND MORE ACTION REQUIRED

16 days of activism for no violence against women and children abuse is a worldwide campaign to oppose violence against women and children. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the negative impact that violence and abuse have on women and children and to rid society of abuse permanently.

The campaign is held annually from 25 November to 10 December. The sad reality of the campaign is that the success of it rests on our daily individual and collective actions to safeguard our society against this cycle of abuse.

The theme for 2016 is "Count me in: Together moving a non-violent South Africa forward", the campaign will be officially launched by His Excellency, The Honorable President Jacob Zuma in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, on 25 November.

Although the campaign runs only for 16 days each year, its objectives are reinforced by a year-long programme and a national plan to combat abuse.

Despite the 16 days of activism against the abuse of women and children and world-renowned Constitution and a legislative overhaul that safeguards women's and children's rights, women and children abuse remains at an incline in South Africa.

The abuse of women and children is systematic and is endorsed by various cycles such as culture and religion. In a diverse country like South Africa, where there is a variety of cultures and religious beliefs practiced on a daily basis, with some of them objectively abusing women. 

Women from all kinds of backgrounds and all ages in modern South Africa, face abuse in all spheres of life. It can happen at work, on the street, or at home. Women face among others:

•  Dating violence
•   Domestic and intimate partner violence
•  Emotional abuse
•  Human trafficking
•  Same-sex relationship violence
•  Sexual assault and abuse
•  Stalking
•  Violence against immigrant and refugee women
•  Violence against women at work
•   Violence against women with disabilities

While child abuse and neglect occurs in a range of situations, for a range of reasons, they are rarely subject to one form of abuse at a time. Children who experience abuse are more prone to face a range of psychological, emotional and social problem throughout their lifetime if they don’t seek psychological help.

Research by McGill University (published October 14, 2015) showed that emotional abuse of a child may be equally harmful as physical abuse and neglect, while child sexual abuse often co-occurs with other forms of poor treatment. Children are likely to face:

•  Emotional abuse
•  Neglect
• Physical abuse
• Family violence
•  Sexual abuse
• Organised sexual abuse

Sometimes, women and children experience abuse by strangers, but most often they are hurt by people who are close to them, people that they trust the most, such as a parent, spouse and or partner.

The campaign also aims to:

•  Challenge the perpetrators of violence to change their behaviour.
• Involve men in helping to eradicate violence.
• Provide survivors with information on services and organisations that can help lessen the impact of violence on their lives.

Besides being social media advocates, South African can join the fight of women and children abuse in reality. The country needs more people who will not just react but act towards the incline of abuse against our mothers, sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces.

Men remain at the centre for the causes of these various abuse forms against women and children and are critical partners in the fight against the abuse of women and children. Men and boys are encouraged to talk about abuse and actively discourage abusive behaviour. Families, as a whole, need to stick together to create a safe environment for women and children.

All South Africans are urged to support the campaign by wearing a white ribbon - a symbol of peace - during the 16-day period to symbolise their commitment to never commit or condone violence against women or children.

Students or staff members experiencing abuse of any kind need to speak out and seek assistance. If you a student who is experiencing any kind of abuse be it at home, at your residence or on campus, you can visit the Student Counseling Office, HIV/AIDS Unit Office and or the Clinic of which all of them are situated at the CPUT Cape Town campus, Admin Building, Second Floor. 

“I'M NOT CURED, BUT THE HIV IS ASLEEP DEEP IN MY BODY.” - MAGIC JOHNSON

From the first term to the third term of 2015, The First Things First (FTF) HIV Counselling and Testing campaigns (HCT) took place across all of CPUT campuses targeting over 30 000 students from the CPUT institution and its staff members.

The campaign was achieved in collaboration with the ZAZI and Brothers For Life campaigns, TB/HIV Care Association, Health4Men, CPUT Campus Clinic and the CPUT Media. The aim of the campaign was to encourage safe sexual lifestyle among CPUT students and staff members and to detect the virus for those infected but unaware at an early stage.

2015 saw more men stepping out of shell to test and take the first step in ensuring their health is well taken care of. This was a challenge in the past. It was discovered that some men did not bother themselves to test for HIV due to the perception that ‘if my girlfriend is negative, then so am I.’ which is completely false.  Countless students came out with their partners to test together as a way of showing their love towards each other. This is strongly recommended by the CPUT HIV/AIDS Unit that couples test together and not only one partner.

This year not only did more men arise to test, but LSRC’s (Local Student Representative Council)  from various CPUT campuses came out in numbers to support the testing campaign and lead by example.

“It is important that you know what your HIV status is, because this will determine how you will live your life from this point on, whether your status is negative or positive.” - Maraisa Homan

LSRC CPUT Wellington 2015

Community and Development Officer

Throughout the testing campaigns Peer Educators assisted with the logistics such as setting up, signing people up and directing them where to go for testing as well as condom demonstration and distribution, which was a large attraction for by passers.

Every student that tested received a free goodie bag that had in it a 2GB USB/cap/t-shirts, free condoms, femidons, lubricates and booklets educating on how to look after your health and sexual lifestyle. The USB’s came with a set of information educating students on the HI virus. 

We acknowledge the hard work that nurses had to go through, in order to test thousands of CPUT students and staff members. Their services were undeniably outstanding in accuracy and professionalism. We further more acknowledge the support the CPUT Media gave us when we went to residences. 

CPUT CAPE TOWN CAMPUS 2016 FIRST TERM GC FINANCE REPORT

Central Student Representative Council (CSRC) delegates present among us

Chairperson of the Local Student Representative Council (LSRC) of the biggest Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) campus

The LSRC of the CPUT Cape Town campus

Leaders from respective student structures present among us

Student and alumnus attending as observers

Humbly receive my greetings.

It can’t be argued that thus far, this has been one of the most challenging times our institution has ever faced. In 2015 we all witnessed the rise of young people across the country, taking a stand under a unified banner of the #FeesMustFall movement, where they audibly stated that Fees Must Fall and free education must be the result thereof. It is at this point in time where the English and the late MK veteran, Solomon Mahlangu, would in chorus agree, that the struggle for a free qualitative education system in South Africa must continue as Rome was not built in a day. Nevertheless, the channels we utilise to get to the land over flowing with milk and honey, which is a South Africa with a free and qualitative education system, will determine our tomorrow, as we have seen violent students protest have led to the arrest of 78 students and suspension of 34 students including myself.

NATIONAL FINANCIAL AIDS SCHEME (NSFAS)

It is no undisclosed matter that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) lacks funds. It was estimated in 2013 by the former acting CEO of NSFAS, Nathan Johnstone, that NSFAS needs to triple its budget in order to cater for all the students who require financial assistance. As a result of NSFAS not paying for over 2 000 students in the previous year a number of students’ dreams were shattered this year after they were financially excluded by CPUT. This shortfall amounted to R 36, 7 million.

I would like to make it clear that the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) does not have NSFAS offices within any of its campus. It only has the financial aid offices whereby the National Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) acts as a donor to. By filing in the Financial Aid form for financial assistance, it does not mean a student is directly applying for NSFAS but for financial assistance be it bursaries, scholarships or loans.  NSFAS has offices in Wynberg, where all their admin is operated.

Challenges we face with NSFAS this year were:

·         Late applications

·         First year applications

·         Applications for returning students that took a gap year

·         NSFAS not dispatching book and meal vouchers in due time to its beneficiaries  

·         Late payments

LATE APPLICATIONS

NSFAS applications for returning students for the academic year 2016 closed on the last working day of August 2015. Countless students could not submit their application forms for various reasons, with a large number of students who could not submit due to incomplete required documents. Those that could not apply for NSFAS in the previous year were not granted the opportunity to submit their documents for financial assistance for this academic year. The LSRC engaged countless times with the Financial Aid office Head of Department (HOD) Ms. K. Ntabiseng, and the Acting Director of Finance, Ms. M. Jeftha with regards to this matter, unfortunately, CPUT was not in control of this matter and we were directed to NSFAS of which NSFAS refused.

What has been advised to students by the Finance and Projects Office, is that if they go back home in June, they ought to gather all the documents they will require for NSFAS application for 2017. Those are documents that they know they are difficult to get hold of when they are far away from home.  To help ease the congestion of students who could not be assisted by NSFAS, we are currently interacting with departments and corporates to fund students financially. 

FIRST YEAR APPLICATIONS

A great number of first year students applied for NSFAS this year. The service they received was a poor one whereby we had to interfere and assist with verifying of documents just to ease up the congestion of long lines for submission of application of financial aid. Initially, there were only 2 workers present and gradually moved to four workers who were accepting forms from students.  This assisted by students being assisted faster than before.  It’s sad to see a tradition emerging whereby even some first years could submit their forms in due time because of the many documents required by NSFAS.

APPLICATION FOR STUDENTS WHO TOOK A GAP YEAR

There were cases of students who last studied at CPUT more than 5 years ago and the people meant to assist them where not willing because those applicants where somewhat classified as “old” and were told NSFAS would not assist them due to age and an old student number. We had to intervene in such cases and students who brought this matter to the attention of their constitutionally recognized Student Representative Council were assisted.

BOOK AND MEAL VOUCHERS NOT DISPATCHED IN DUE TIME TO ITS BENEFICIARIES  

It is with utmost disgust that I have to report that all eligible students have not yet received their due meal and book vouchers yet we approaching an end towards an end of the first semester. I fail to understand how students are expected to flourish when it comes to academics yet they do not have the necessary support.  This is not only faced by students of NSFAS but also some students that are beneficiaries of a number of bursaries.  This left us with no choice but to shoot straight to the Acting Director of Finance who stated that students have not been properly allocated funding and still have to sign Loan Agreement Forms. The Selections process is currently underway. The process was delayed due to the 2015 examinations and reassessments taking place in 2016 as well as 2016 registrations only being finalized in March 2016. Nevertheless qualifying students will be receiving communication from the Financial Aid Office shortly about an interim meal allowance as well as a book account to be opened on their behalf.

CERTIFICATES BEING WITHHELD

Students whose debts were cleared where not granted the opportunity to have their respective certificates, be it an ND or BTech certificate. We engaged with the HOD of Students Debtors and told us that this is the strict instruction they had received from the VC and they were obliged to follow it. When we consulted the VC in the presence of the Acting Director of Finance in a Crisis Committee this was rectified and all students whose debts were cleared can now receive their certificates.

CREDIT MANAGEMENT UNIT (CMU)

The CMU process was one that was straining. Its processes for the academic year 2016 worked in a way that if your debt is over R50 000.00, you were are required to pay 50% of your debt upfront and the remaining balance would be settled within a period of 10 months by means of a debit order. Example, if you owe the institution R70 000.00, it is required that you pay R35 000.00 upfront and the rest you will settle over ten months period. Meaning you expected to pay R3 500.00 per month to the institution. If your debt is less than R50 000, they push for you to pay 50% of your debt but took what was offered to them and the remaining balance still has to be paid over a period of 10 months. Example, if you owed R40 000 to the institution, they pushed for you to pay round about R18 000 and the rest will paid over a period of ten months. If you make a counteroffer of R5 000, they are forced to take it and the remaining balance of R35 000 will be paid over a period of ten months by a debit order of R3 500 per month.

We saw this 10 months period as an unreasonable one more especially if your debt is over R10 000. These are measures put in place to reduce the dignity of the poor and to deprive them of their basic constitutional right to education. We had countless talk with the management for financial exclusion not to take place for the academic year 2016 and for also called for an extension in the payment period to 24 months instead of 10 months and regrettably they refused.

The CMU processes this year was not meant to assist students but rather to exclude them where even the Financial Aid office was not part of the process and they did not even consider you academic output but only the amount due to the institution.

The late former president of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Nelson R. Mandela, once said education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world. How are we expected to change the world when we are being deprived of that same education? I do not understand how the youth is expected to change the world if they are constantly deprived of their right to education due to their economic status.

FINANCIAL LIST

There was a financial assistance list we had taken where all students that needed financial assistance were noted down and their names were sent to the Dean of Students. The aim was of this was to hang the debt of students that are hampering them from becoming registered students in this academic year. Unfortunately, not all students could be assisted. Somewhere and some could not be.

DEBT CLEARANCE CRITERIA

Debt clearance took place in the first two weeks of November 2015 after council had reach consensus on October 30, 2016. The clearance of debts happened for over 5 000 students. The criterion used for the clearance of debts is something we constantly questioned, as we found that the clearance of debt did not happen as per the council resolution of October 2015. Some students who did not fit in that criterion had their debt written off. We were asked to bring fourth all the names of students whose debts were written off yet they did not meet the requirements for debts clearance. We refused to bring any name forward for we felt that this would be selfish of us.

CSRC AND MANAGEMENT FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE (CMFC)

2016 saw the establishment of the CMFC which is a fundraising task team with the aim to assist all needy, academically deserving students who cannot afford to pay fees. This committee seeks to assist by means of coverage for registration fee and funding BTech’s as most students don’t have funds to cover their BTech tuition fees. This is evidence by the number of BTech certificates CPUT is still withholding. The committee also feels that there are fair opportunities for first to third year students as they are most likely to be covered by NSFAS of a bursary. Bearing in mind that NSFAS only covers your first qualification, this among the reason why the committee felt the need to put BTech student s first on the platter.

FUNDING

On January 13, 2016, a communique was sent by the Department of Higher Education to all Vice-Chancellor's with regards to the shortfall of funds as the result of the no fee increment as declared by the President on January 8. From that communique it was stated that, there is R2.543 billion that has been allocated as a loan to 71 753 students NSFAS had identified that were eligible to receive funding from the NSFAS but were either partially paid or not funded at all. An additional R2.039 billion was to be also paid as additional support to ensure they complete their studies.

Since a total debt of R 111 million was cleared of 5 301 students, CPUT could not receive funding from NSFAS to cover for this. To access the funds the institution would need to reinstate the debt to each students fee account, the student would then have to sign the required Loan Agreement Form, and the form would then be submitted this to NSFAS in order to claim the funds.

We also faced a challenge of students who debts had been handed over to debt collectors have to settle their debts before they can be permitted to register for this academic year. Our proposal was that the normal CMU processes apply to them as well. It would work in a way that students would bring forth their proof of arrangement made with the debt collectors and an upfront payment that a student can afford. However the issue of policy was brought up again that we cannot go against the Debt Management Policy which states that students who have been handed over have been handed over after due process has been followed internally over a period of more than six months

CPUT was allocated R 289 million for the academic year 2016 of which it received 30% of it, R 86 700 000, was paid upfront on January 7. The remaining portion of CPUT’s allocation from NSFAS will only be received once students have been properly allocated funding and have signed the required Loan Agreement Forms. Even though the institution also received R 73 million from NSFAS to assist with the upfront payment which was not an essential requirement for registration for this year there was still a detrimental loss of R 86 million in upfront cash receipts for 2016. A further R 78 million was allocated to CPUT from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in respect of the 0% fee increment.

At present CPUT is still owed R 265 659 992.40 in tuition fees by past and present students. The total impact our institution faced as a result of no fee increment and -3% on residence fees was Total impact –R 99 088 783. With that being said the budget across all departments were cut by 60% and the SRC budget went from R 1,8 million in the past to R 700 000 of which is allocated as follows

The amount allocated to the LSRC is R788 400 less the amount committed to assist students to register R106 700 = R681 700, which is subdivided as

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS (KPA)	AMOUNT
Administration (10%)	R68 170.00
Entertainment (25%)	R170 425.00
Transport & Accommodation (15%)	R102 255.00
Structure Subsidies (30%)	R204 510.00
Community Partnerships/Social Responsibility (10%)	R68 170.00
Student Developments Projects (10%)	R68 170.00
TOTAL	R681 700.00

Drafted by

LUCHULUMANCO NANTO

FINANCE AND PROJECTS OFFICER

ACTING FACULTY OF INFORMATICS AND DESIGN (FID) REPRESENTATIVE

CAPE TOWN CAMPUS

LOCAL STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (LSRC)

CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (CPUT)