On 6 and 7 October 2009 CPUT’s Bellville Campus served as the filming location for a number of television programmes on the theme of student voter education.

The programmes were commissioned by SABC Education in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DoHET) and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as part of a nationwide project that aims to engage students in discussions around the principles of democratic elections.

According to SABC Education Commissioning Editor Surekha Singh, the project came about as a result of a highly successful voter registration campaign for the September 2008 national elections, that included segments filmed at two South African Universities.

With several Universities holding SRC elections during the fourth quarter of 2009, the DoHET and IEC were encouraged to again partner with the SABC produce similar programmes, thereby helping South African universities ensure that their student governance elections are free and fair. CPUT was selected to represent the Western Cape Province.

Among the programmes filmed at CPUT were two live broadcasts of Shift, a daily lunchtime talk show on SABC1 in which young people and special guests discuss topics relevant to the country’s youth. The programme attracts between 800 000 and one million viewers per episode.

“Part of our campaign is to have face-to-face discussions in order to reach a wide audience, so we take Shift along,” said Singh.

The Shift broadcasts provided a forum for discussions on issues around student governance elections, including a conversation about the challenges faced by women in leadership. Discussions on lighter topics and musical inserts were also featured in the broadcast.

The discussion panels included staff and students from CPUT, students from other Western Cape universities, members of the IEC and other special guests.

The outside broadcast project has been endorsed by CPUT Head of Student Affairs Sibusiso Chalufu.

In a communication to staff and students sent prior to filming, Chalufu noted, “As Student Affairs we have welcomed the idea of the OB (outside broadcast) as we felt that it would add value and dovetail with our own SRC Elections Vibrancy Project.”

Having wrapped up filming in the Western Cape, the production team will be continuing the project at universities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Various pre-recorded documentary programmes, based on footage shot during the outside broadcast project will be broadcast by the SABC in January 2010. 

Written by CPUT News
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Yesterday the wanton damage to property at CPUT’s Bellville campus once again made headline news. The university is  aware of at least six cars being torched and countless other destructive acts taking place.

Council has always encouraged good faith engagement with protesting students on the understanding that some common ground may be found and it condemns, in the strongest terms, the violent behaviour of protesters yesterday.

While circumstances force it and it reluctantly brings private security and the SAPS on to campus, it must reiterate that its responsibility is to protect staff, students and property against violent unlawful behaviour.

Council calls upon those who are committed to the noble cause of students to expose those behind the violence and arson, so that the arm of law can take its full might.

It further urges students not to participate in these criminal acts and if they do be prepared to take full consequences thereof.

Thank you
CPUT Council

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT’s nano-satellite research has caught the attention of the Bavarian government and a recent symposium explored ways of leveraging this interest.

The symposium saw a delegation of Bavarian government officials and academics meeting their South African counterparts at CPUT’s Bellville campus to discuss nano-satellite Earth Observation Applications as Catalyst for International Collaboration as well as view the facilities at CPUT’s French South African Institute of Technology (F'SATI).

The partners in the collaboration are CPUT, F’SATI, Stellenbosch University, Cube Space, the South African Department of Science and Technology, the Bavarian government and universities, the National Research Foundation and the South African National Space Agency.

Dr John Volmink, CPUT’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, said Space Science Engineering and Technology is one of the university’s research focus areas.

Volmink added that the university’s satellite programme has been supported by the national government.

Prof Robert van Zyl, head of F’SATI at CPUT said marine protection and ocean governance is one of the four critical areas which were explored by the South African government to unlock the potential of the country’s vast coastline.

Amal Khatri, Executive Director at South African National Space Agency (SANSA) said low-cost satellites are more viable and have better access to funding.

“There is a need to invest in nano-satellites,” added Khatri.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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