Deputy Minister Buti Manamela with Nomusa Ngwenya, TUT Vaccine Site Coordinator.
TUT’s Pretoria (West) Campus has recently been accredited as a COVID-19 vaccination site. The cricket clubhouse is used for all vaccinations at the campus.
Speaking at the vaccination site, Deputy Minister Manamela said TUT was the biggest contact University in the country, as such it is imperative that no steps are missed in the fight against COVID-19. “I am proud of the COVID-19 Task Team that was established at the University. Your exceptional work is commendable. Let’s all work together and encourage the public and surrounding communities to make use of these facilities and be vaccinated,” he said.
Prof van Staden, Vice-Chancellor and Principal said: “The University supports government’s call for the people of South Africa to be vaccinated. We appreciate the partnership between our University, government and Higher Health. The Deputy Minister’s visit affirms the University’s message that we need to protect ourselves and the lives of others from this deadly virus through vaccination and the adherence to all COVID-19 protocols. We are grateful for the support government has given us, in particularly in establishing our vaccination site. It has been operating successfully on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (08:00 - 16:00).
The Department of Higher Education and Training, together with Higher Health, developed a comprehensive vaccination strategy for the PSET sector, in alignment with the Department of Health’s (DoH) national vaccination roll-out plan. On 23 July 2021, Minister Blade Nzimande launched the vaccination roll-out for staff 60-years and older in the PSET sector. The higher education vaccination roll-out has since also commenced for employees older than 35 years. These employees, including postgraduate lecturing students, comprise approximately 70% of the workforce that are full time, part time and contract staff, who interact daily with students and staff, clean residences and provide security services.
In addition, Higher Health is working with DoH towards preparing the roll-out plan for staff younger than 35. Thereafter, students living in campus residences and private accommodation, will be prioritised. As part of our national PSET roll-out plan, all students will be eligible for vaccination as per the Department of Health’s national age-centred approach.