A powerful collaboration between the W&RSETA, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, and the Department of Retail Business Management recently hosted a Transformative Workshop aimed at tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV), inspiring change, and fostering a safer community for all.

In this workshop, the Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), in collaboration with CPUT, invited students to engage in an interactive and empowering session dedicated to tackling GBV through meaningful dialogue, education, and practical practices. Jonathan Aspeling, a lecturer in Retail Business Management, emphasised that this event was vital for raising awareness among students about the critical issues of GBV and femicide, providing a platform for student voices to resonate. Aspeling, who is also the project manager, commended the facilitation team for their extensive experience in GBV awareness training and support, ensuring that the workshop's goals of enhancing awareness and equipping participants with practical tools were successfully met.

“The workshops have reduced stigma, encouraging help-seeking, equipped students to support survivors, challenged harmful attitudes, and promoted a culture of accountability and equality.” 

He said the workshops benefit students by enhancing their awareness of GBV under the banner of “Not in my Name”, adding that the GBV awareness workshops are funded by the W&RSETA and hosted by the Retail Business Management Department, but have resulted in dynamic partnerships within the Business Management and Sciences Faculty and between different faculties. “Creating awareness about the scourge of gender-based violence prevalent in our communities and country, ensuring that our CPUT community is not only aware but is also encouraged to speak out, support, and address correct attitudes.”

Thuli Mjwara, the Strategic Advocacy Coordinator at IAM, facilitated the workshop. During a participatory exercise, students identified societal factors that contribute to GBV, including patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and restrictions on women’s choices. The session also emphasised the process of obtaining a protection order and explained important legal documents, such as the J88 form and victim impact statements, which are essential when reporting cases to the South African Police Service.

 “I believe this workshop will foster meaningful change, as it equips students with immediate access to a comprehensive directory of support services available within the Western Cape province. By empowering victims and first responders with this vital information, we take a crucial step towards ensuring timely assistance and intervention. Eradicating gender-based violence requires not only raising awareness but also making support services easily accessible to all, enabling survivors to report incidents and hold perpetrators accountable. This approach strengthens our collective effort to create safer communities.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Delegates attending the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Higher Education Dialogue called for action to tackle issues of GBV head-on.

Held on the Bellville Campus this week, the dialogue was organised by the Division of Student Affairs in partnership with the Institutional Transformation Unit in response to the recent spate of sexual assault, GBV and femicide incidents perpetrated against women in higher education institutions.

The dialogue was attended by student leaders and staff members of CPUT, the University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University and gender activists. Also in attendance were officials from the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology as well as the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE).

Prem Coopoo, CPUT’s Dean of Students, said GBV was the new silent pandemic that required everyone to be activists in their homes. “The real solution to GBV lies with men, men should tell perpetrators that they will expose them,” said Coopoo.

She added that various forms of support should be given to victims of GBV and that the greatest travesty of justice is when anyone approaches victims of rape and GBV to withdraw charges against their perpetrators.

CPUT Central SRC President, Sipho Mokoena, lamented the fact no one speaks to the rapist but women are taught to avoid rape by wearing certain type of clothing and walking in certain places at certain times.

Sixolile Ngcobo, CGE’s Provincial Manager, said now was the time to take action and for individuals to realise that solutions to GBV begin with their actions and reactions.

Co-ordinator: Gender Non-Violence at Stellenbosch University, Thembelihle Bongwana, observed that women had once in their lives been forced to perform sexual favours for men in order to even enter the higher education space both for learning and accommodation purposes.

“In the context of our institutions of higher learning, it is quite imperative that we call for heightened oversight and review of existing policies, and disciplinary codes, and bridge the gap in much-needed policy reform through our Institutional Forums, and this can only happen if it is championed by chancellors, Rectorates, DVCs, Faculty Deans, Senior Management Teams and other Statutory Bodies.”

Dr Navindhra Naidoo, Emergency Medical Sciences senior lecturer at CPUT, asserted that hegemonic masculinity perpetuated the dominant social position of men and the subordinate social position of women

Written by Kwanele Butana
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In response to the recent wave of violence perpetrated against women, staff members and students assembled for a day of mourning on the Bellville Campus on Monday.

Dressed in black, the CPUT community gathered in front of the Administration building in show of solidarity to victims and survivors of gender-based violence and to acknowledge the first-year CPUT Nursing Sciences student who was abducted and raped after finishing a shift last week.

Addressing the crowd, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, re-emphasised management’s commitment to zero tolerance for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and urged students and staffers to join hands and take action.

“Be vigilant of this GBV monster in and outside of university spaces,” said Nhlapo adding that the GBV Emergency Number is 021 959 6550 and Department of Student Affairs’ is 060 980 0286

Nhlapo also emphasised some of the interventions already in place at the institution including the following:

• Thorough vetting of staff during recruitment;
• A basic “green” or safe route through campuses;
• Stronger access controls and CCTV cameras;
• More security patrols, lighting and a rapid response unit on campuses;
• Better monitoring of number plates;
• After hours for the campus clinic and counselling departments and;
• A tribunal and ombudsman for GBV cases;

Female student leaders, representing all campuses, also used the platform to raise their ideas for making their campuses safer for all.

“Ultimately we believe the points being made by female students were valid, and they were discussed at length at a Management Committee meeting held directly after the programme,” Nhlapo later reported in a communique to the university’s community.

Nonkosi Tyolwana, Director: Transformation, Social Cohesion and Diversity, said academic freedom fosters open and public debate over major issues facing society.

 “Your presence today gives the university great courage and hope,” said Tyolwana. “GBV is not just another form of violence. It is a threat to human life. A denial of human dignity. Sadly our female students and staff suffer the most.” 

Ultimately we believe the points being made by female students were valid, and they were discussed at length at a Management Committee meeting held directly after the programme.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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During a recent gender-based violence (GBV) roundtable webinar hosted by the Student Affairs Division to celebrate Women’s Day contributors called for an integrated approach to combating this scourge on CPUT campuses.

The contributors, composed of leaders in the Higher Education sector, civil society and government, said ongoing monitoring and evaluation of actions dealing with GBV were needed to inform interventions. They advocated for GBV ambassadors especially within the Student Affairs Division.

Among the contributors there was a panel consisting of Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (Commission for Gender Equality: Commissioner), Nonkosi Tyolwana (Director of Transformation at CPUT), Dellicia de Vos (CPUT’s Disability Unit), Nkokheli Mankayi (Activate Network and CPUT Alumnus), Kanyisa Booi (Matriarch and Sons) and Central Student Representative Council President, Phinda Swartbooi.

The contributors made a case for a thorough investigation into prevalence and under-reporting of GBV cases and further argued that sexual reproductive health and psychological issues must also be considered when dealing with GBV and not just its physical effects.

They also called for the Student Representative Council’s commitment to co-ordinate other student structures to come up with a student-centred approach to address GBV.

They highlighted the need for policy interventions to be more inclusive of marginalised groups such as people with disabilities and the LGBTQI community. They clarified that gendered violence does not only refer to male- female abuse exclusively, but also includes male - on - male as well as female – on - female violence.

“The key takeaway from this session is to secure safe learning spaces within Higher Education; to look at different initiatives and ways to work constructively and collectively to make a change,” says Louisa Brits, Head of Student Counselling and one of the webinar’s organisers.

“By highlighting experiences of GBV from different communities (including marginalised groups) within the campuses will inform different programme interventions; practical and implementable solutions will be the important part of awareness and instrumental to sensitise others about GBV.”

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Prof Paul Green, Dean: Faculty of Business and Management Sciences raves about the students who developed an app to help in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and achieved a second place in League 4 in the 2022 Enactus South Africa Competition held at Sandton Convention Centre.

The Enactus competition is an annual inter-university event among the 26 universities in South Africa (SA) where the ultimate winner goes on to represent South Africa against all other countries in the world at the global finals in the USA. Green said Enactus is an international non-profit organisation based in Springfield, Missouri. He says it is an international social entrepreneurship project presentation competition for university students, initially named Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).

“The aim is to get students excited about community engagement, socio-economic upliftment, and free market economy and to immerse them in the role of entrepreneurs and companies within the market economy. These are all aligned with the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.”

Team CPUT competed in the fourth league (there are four leagues, and the University competes in the league drawn) as a semi-finalist and team CPUT won the second prize trophy for their community-based project named “4All” an App developed in addressing GBV, especially in the low economic area of Elsies River as a pilot project. “This in itself is a huge feat for team CPUT, gauging from the limited time and resources that were available to the team for its preparation for the competition,” Green enthuses.

He adds: “The students’ project is topical in today’s socio-economic ills we witness in our society. It brings 21st century skills and the CPUT Graduate Attributes from the classroom into practice within our communities.”

The team members are Mpho Serepo, a second-year student: Diploma in Accountancy, Vivian Boyce, second-year student in Construction Management, Tshifhiwa Mudau, third-year in Bachelor of Health Sciences in Medical Laboratory Science, Thabo Ntshabele, in-service trainee in Electrical Engineering, Zuma Noluthando, third-year, Chemical engineering, Walusungu Kaira, Master’s student in Chemical Engineering, Sabelo Mashinini, third-year in Industrial Engineering, Tanyaradzwa Hove, Bachelor of Technology Honours in Electrical Engineerin and Akhani Sopangisa second-year, Civil Engineering.

Mpho, the project leader, says: “I am very happy about the achievement and I also feel the need for CPUT to invest in such an organisation that will not only change the students’ lives but the lives of the country, or maybe the world at large.” She said their project is called 4All because it caters for everyone regardless of their class, race, sexuality and age, “also because it’s designed to help combat every type of violence (mental, physical, sexual)”.

“The aim of the project is to help in combating GBV.”

This project is an App that has a panic button that alerts the listed next of kin, community volunteers, police, and ambulance in case of emergency. It also has the social feature that allows the user to talk to the social worker or a psychologist. “It has the legal feature where one can get advice from a lawyer and also be guided on the necessary steps to open a case, news feed page, where the user will get updates about the GBV statistics in their surrounding area. Anything recorded on the app will be used as an electronic police statement. “This an App that will assist the SAPS in case of dockets theft ...”

Mpho added that it took hard work, dedication, discipline, and a few sleepless nights for them to achieve their feat.

“4All is an App developed in addressing GBV, through the enthusiasm of Team CPUT in their quest to address socio-ills in their communities, and their task was tackled with benevolence. The App addresses real societal challenges in the now, it’s relevant. GBV is a real serious problem, we need to celebrate women and children day every day and not only once a year, that is inclusive with the LGBT+, but it is also paramount to me, that is a serious scourge in need of remedial action, indeed a serious topic for the CPUT community at large,” Green added.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The CPUT Convocation’s Dry Campus initiative strives towards a substance abuse- and gender-based violence-free campus.

The initiative is supported by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and the Advancement Department and a thought-provoking event, attended by a range of stakeholders, was recently held at the Bellville campus.

The external stakeholders included SAB Miller, Distell, National Liquor Traders, the SA National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and SafeClick24.

In his opening remarks Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, said alcohol consumption is a risk factor for many health and safety problems in South Africa, including sexual and domestic violence, homicide, assault and road traffic accidents while chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, are exacerbated by alcohol.

He said that if one chooses to use alcohol, it was important to do so appropriately.

The audience was touched by guest speaker Brandon “the white kid” Smit, who shared his life story.

This was followed by a panel discussion, led by programme director and moderator Andiswa Mrasi, with the panel consisting of Zukiswa Gaqavu from Distell, Lucky Ntimane from the National Liquor Traders, Ivan Waldeck from SANTACO, Nonkosi Tyolwana, Acting Dean of Students and Convocation executive member, Athenkosi Nyangiwe.

Some of the topics discussed included safety onboard taxis, programmes to help curb substance abuse, responsible drinking and taking personal responsibility for one’s choices.

The panel also engaged in a lively question and answer session with audience members.

Registrar Sello Mokoena encouraged students to “do what you think is right for you”.

“The decision that you take at your youth level has the potential to affect you throughout your life. So, if you take good decisions now you have paved a very good life for you going forward. But if you make mistakes … that has the potential to ruin your life.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT is making steady progress with the institution’s Policy on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) with a recently formed steering committee set to take the process forward.

The 15-member committee consists of academic and non-academic staff, Legal Services, Student Counselling, the HIV/Aids unit, Human Capital, the incoming SRC President as well as representatives from the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority.

The draft policy has already been circulated to staff and students and the feedback received will be discussed at the committee’s next meeting, according to Melanie Marais, steering committee member and Head of the HIV/Aids Unit.

“The steering committee will be taking the process forward. We are getting systems and processes in place to ensure that awareness happens on GBV and that there is a formal setting when it comes to reporting the stats. We will follow the necessary processes before the policy goes to MANCOM and eventually to Council for approval.”

Marais encouraged students to report incidents of GBV.

“If you are in residence, report incidents to your residence coordinator, on campus to the head of your department or campus protection services. In rape cases, the rape survivor will be taken to their nearest Thuthuzela Care Centre where specialised support and prescribed medical intervention will take place. It’s very important that the rape survivor doesn’t shower or bath as this will wash evidence away. The incident needs to be reported as soon as possible. An antiretroviral drug has to be started within 72 hours after the incident.”

Marais said the institution has a zero tolerance on sexual & gender-based violence and is committed to supporting survivors of GBV and would do its utmost to ensure the privacy of survivors of GBV.

Campus Security can be reached on the following numbers:

Bellville (021) 959 6301/6550

Cape Town: (021) 460 3122/3631

Granger Bay: 021 440 5726

Mowbray: (021) 680 1582

Wellington: (021) 864 5551

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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This past weekend CPUT hosted a successful Young Women Empowerment Conference.

Close to two hundred of female students from Western Cape higher education institutions descended on Bellville campus for a two day conference focused on issues facing them. The programme included speakers talking about dealing with the challenges of HIV/Aids and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as well as workshops on everything from digital storytelling to leadership lessons and personal development tips.

Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini’s keynote address on the first day urged the young students to respect themselves and not buy into the patriarchal idea that men are better.

“Women have capacity and ability. When we are given responsibility we perform but we don’t bully our way through, we impart knowledge. You have heard the saying ‘teach a woman, you teach the nation’,” Dlamini reminded the students.

She encouraged them to be more vocal in ensuring older people in power better understand the challenges faced by students in tertiary education as contemporary problems are very different to what she faced as a young woman.

“It is for students to create support structures and make sure society understands how it impacts on your life. As a tertiary institution you need to come up with new ideas for dealing proactively with the issue of violence against women and children,” said Dlamini.

Dlamini and Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, CEO of Higher Education and Training Health Wellness & Development Centre (HEAIDS), commended CPUT on launching its own Institutional Gender-Based Violence Position Statement.

Ahluwalia pointed out that a policy for all higher education institutions on how to deal with gender-based violence is currently awaiting approval from Cabinet. This policy includes details on disciplinary tribunals for offenders and the need to be more victim centric in all approaches.

“We need to build an army to deal with gender-based violence on campuses in the same way we built the peer to peer educators to deal with HIV infections.

“The way you come out for early testing for HIV we need you to report incidents of GBV on campuses,” said Ahluwalia.

Written by Theresa Smith
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CPUT today declared a zero tolerance approach against gender-based violence.

The Institutional Position Statement on Gender-Based Violence was officially launched this morning at a function where the university and government partners made it clear that gender-based violence had no place in higher education institutions.

“We are saying: ‘We don’t have an appetite for gender-based violence. We don’t have tolerance for gender-based violence and as an institution, we are going to deal harshly with all these particular aspects if they try in any way to rear their ugly head within the confines of CPUT, said Vice-Chancellor, Dr Chris Nhlapo.

Deputy Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela commended CPUT for its progressive approach in developing the policy.

“Gender-based violence, including rape and other forms of sexual harassment remains one of the foremost challenges that we have to tackle hand in hand as citizens and as government. We cannot treat gender-based violence with a business as usual attitude.”

He said the scourge of gender-based violence at higher education institutions had been a constant plague that interferes with students’ studies and careers.

“It corrupts the integrity of the education system and erodes the Constitutional rights to equality, dignity and freedom from all forms of violence.”

Thokozani Nyawasha from The Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) said the Higher Education Gender-Based Violence Policy Framework, would ensure that all universities and colleges must have dedicated gender-based violence police. She said this policy was currently undergoing internal processes before its planned release later this year.

“Our hearts bleed when we witness an increase in gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning. We, however, find solace in what we are witnessing today. This day shows that it is time to act and not to talk. While many universities and TVET colleges still do not have any policies on gender-based violence CPUT has demonstrated leadership”.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The highlight of Women’s Month at CPUT will be the launch of the Gender-Based Violence Policy on 16 August.

Students and staff are invited to attend the launch of the GBV policy which replaces the Sexual Harassment Policy. A Men’s Forum will also be launched at the same event.

In addition to the GBV Policy launch, the institution will host the 2018 Young Women Empowerment Conference on 18-19 August aimed at female students at Western Cape higher education institutions, including TVET colleges.

The Policy and Men’s Forum launch takes place between 10 am and 1 pm on 16 August in the Sports Hall on Bellville Campus.

On 18 August CPUT Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo will welcome students and speakers, including the conference's two keynote speakers Minister of Women in the Presidency Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Artscape CEO Dr Marlene le Roux.

Head of CPUT’s HIV/Aids Unit Melanie Marais said while the conference was aimed at female students the launch of the GBV Policy and Men’s Forum was open to everyone.

“The Institutional Position Statement on gender-based violence and the Policy has been discussed widely and approved by management. We have to acknowledge that yes, men are part of the problem of gender-based violence, but they are also part of the solution,” said Marais.

She said last year’s Young Women Leadership Conference was well attended and well received and this year there will be breakaway sessions on men as partners in GBV, networking and social media, reproductive health, entrepreneurship, leadership and personal development as well as digital storytelling. During the plenary sessions, gender-based violence, mental health and disability and access will all form part of important conference discussions.
Student Development Officer Melani Hara said she has been working closely with Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Innovative Educational Technology Daniela Gachago on the digital storytelling aspect. They will use videos that have already been created to elicit stories about the issues young people are facing.

“It gives a platform to the young women who are attending on the day. The conference is as much about the important people who will attend as it is about the youngsters, to give them a chance to gain skills and learn,” said Hara.

Anyone interested in attending the launch of the Gender Based Violence Policy and Men’s Forum can follow this link and check here for more information on the conference.

• CPUT GBV Position Statement

Written by Theresa Smith
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CPUT and the University of Karlstad in Sweden are collaborating on a new community-based research project with a focus on gender-based violence (GBV). 

Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences is the South African principal investigator on the study titled: Internationalisation for Knowledge Partnership and Social Transformation.

Funding for the project was received from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT).
“Our project has two legs. One is community-based research with a focus on GBV and the other is capacity-building for improved research skills for postgraduate students, supervisors and researchers using the community-based research approach,” said Engel-Hills.

The research will be carried out in a community on the south peninsula.
“An NGO in the community has come on board and we’ll be working with women in the community to look at what the community responses are to gender-based violence.”
Engel-Hills said there were NGOs and ordinary residents in the community who were offering counselling, employment and other options for women who had been affected by GBV.

“There is a lot of work being done but what we understood from the community is that they would like to know what works and what more they can do. We want to try to drive change through research and model ways that communities can positively respond to violence. Once we’ve looked at all the options we’ll consider implementing a new idea in the community. It’s all about what is right for that community and what they want.”

In terms of capacity building, the project aims to develop skills in innovative research methods and promote ethical awareness that will enable research in communities.
“We will be running workshops. We have already run a pilot at CPUT for our postgraduate students and we’re looking at two things. The first is the ethical dimensions of research in communities such as this one. The second is methodology. So we’ll put experts together and to do the training innovative ways.”

Engel-Hills said the researchers were hoping that through gathering “living knowledge” they would be able to make a positive contribution to social transformation as researchers.
“For me, it’s about what do we do responsibly with the knowledge we build to change lives. That’s the competence we need to develop in postgraduate students in order to build a generation of young researchers who can really contribute to finding solutions to the problems in SA in a meaningful way.”

Researcher: Prof Engel-Hills

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Statistics on gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa are staggeringly high and universities are not immune to the scourge.

As part of its response, the Department of Higher Education and Training and HEAIDS is developing a standardised framework for GBV, which will eventually be implemented at all universities across South Africa.

CPUT is among the institutions who decided to take a stand against GB and an Institutional Position Statement on gender-based violence has been drafted.

The university’s new GBV policy should be launched in August.

The Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences has been proactive in starting to align staff members with the policy through a series of seminars that seek to unpack the interventions that have been or could be used to reduce gender-based violence in a particular health profession.

The seminars consider interventions that promote gender equality and that challenge accepted cultural norms that endorse violence against women and girls. It may include descriptions of how interventions have been implemented and evaluated in a variety of social contexts, including schools and community structures, and how these might be replicated and/or modified for use in a health profession. NGO partnerships provide the civil society responses of crisis intervention, advocacy and community of practice. The methodological rigour is supported by McMaster University’s National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (Canada).

 “If we acknowledge that one in three women will be victims of abuse in their lifetime then the implication is that one in three female students or staff members may possibly be victims and reciprocally, that one in three males may be perpetrators,” says Dr Navindhra Naidoo, acting head of the Emergency Medical Sciences Department and one of several collaborators on the draft policy.

“We are putting the issue on our professional agendas. We are looking at what is our science, what is our agenda, what are the tools of our trade and how can we use the ‘tools’ of our proverbial ‘trade’ to be inclusive of gender-based violence.”

Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, Acting Dean of the Faculty, said the faculty was taking a critical look at how and whether the issue of GBV was being dealt with in the classroom and in the curriculum.

“We know that at least ten percent of reported rapes occur in Higher Education Institutions. We really feel that if we get our lecturers and researchers talking about this, together with our support staff, we can influence what happens at CPUT.”

 Naidoo said the issue of GBV affected all three of the university’s pillars of teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

“In terms of teaching and learning, if students are intimidated or in constant fear they cannot meaningfully study. Being free of violence is a social determinant of one's education. We need to ensure that we provide a safe environment to promote and protect one’s health and education rights.”

He said much of CPUT’s research did not deal with the socio-political context of violence.

“We need to get our respective professions more connected to our students’ lived realities.”

Naidoo said our campuses were not protected from and our processes not protective of the escalating frequency and brutality of GBV.

“…that’s why we need to do community engagement activities. We need to take the issue back to the community and say we as researchers have looked at this issue and we have the following policy recommendations so we can start influencing change. That’s how CPUT becomes an agent of change rather than a place where victims (and perpetrators) are ‘born’.”

Engel-Hills concurred: “Our research and our identity as being educators should work together and it must bring a positive influence in our communities”.

To read more about the policy, please click here: https://www.cput.ac.za/newsroom/news/article/3535/cput-takes-stand-against-gender-based-violence

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Student Affairs Division and Services (DSA) will run the #WiseUp Healthy Living campaign from 19 July to 5 August.

Head of Department: Student Counselling, Leanie Brits, says the mandate of DSA is to educate and support students’ adjustment, development and wellness outside of the classroom through its various service portfolios.  “We strive to create opportunities for engagement and education to empower our students to grow. The prolonged lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic brought with it an increase in psychosocial challenges for students.

“The pandemic challenged people’s resilience and placed great strain on people’s general coping strategies,” says Brits.

The #WiseUp Healthy Living campaign emanated from the need to empower the CPUT community with information, tools, and resources to maintain the fundamental principles of a healthy body and mind.  “It also seeks to promote wellness, mental health, and amongst others, focus on depression and suicide awareness, substance use and abuse and gender-based violence (GBV) awareness,” emphasises Brits.

She adds that the campaign is supported by CPUT’s external partners, the Department of Social Development, the National Institute of Community Development and Management, and the Department of Health, exhibiting on campus on the 19th and 20th of July. The Department of Student Counselling and Campus Health clinic will also show these days.

Students are encouraged to attend the exhibitions’ stalls and the various activities that will run during the campaign. The organisers anticipate that more than 500 students will participate in the on-campus events that will run during this period. The campaign has to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, and therefore, certain activities will be limited per number of attendees to comply with venue capacity restrictions. The drama performance and exhibitions are open air/outside events, these activities will be regulated but limited.

The target audience is all CPUT students, especially students who seek to empower themselves with knowledge and those who want to learn how to live and maintain a healthy life. “This campaign allows students to learn the facts about general strategies to maintain wellness and mental health, substance use and abuse, depression and suicide, and GBV,” summarises Brits.

She also states that wellness and mental health should be a daily priority and that without proper self-care, one might find it challenging to focus on one’s academics and may even notice social and emotional problems such as depression, low motivation, isolation, high levels of stress and inability to deal with pressure.

“Students may end up engaging in unhealthy coping strategies such as increased alcohol use, unhealthy eating and sleeping habits, etc. We are holistic beings; wellness and mental health cannot be separated from our work and academics. We encourage the CPUT community to #BeWise and equip themselves with the knowledge to live healthily,” adds Brits.

To view the line-up, click this link:

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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CPUT has upped the ante in its fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

In June the institutions’ Executive Management were trained on their responsibilities in handling GBV, now the rest of the CPUT community is in line to receive similar training.

The training roll-out puts CPUT at the forefront of the higher education sector’s response to this societal scourge.

This is because CPUT is the first university to internalise and institutionalise the fight against GBV via its dedicated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Committee, which is chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo.

The high-level institutional GBV committee is comprised of delegates from the SRC and Management and aims to ensure accountability, coordination, and leadership of the GBV Policy for Higher Education.

Nonkosi Tyolwana, Director for Institutional Transformation, Social Cohesion and Diversity, says the GBV training will be cascaded through the university committee in the coming few months.

“The training will explore how gender identities are defined in our formative years, and how this resonates in a 21st century context,” says Tyolwana.

“This becomes critical conversations to have with a higher education context when you have young people from all walks of life intermingling for the first time in their lives. We also need to remain aware of the natural power imbalances that can form within a university context. If we arm our students and staff to be conscious of this then they can avoid GBV pitfalls.”

CPUT’s GBV training and the response have been crafted in response to the Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority.

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT is taking a stand against gender-based violence with the development of a new policy. The HIV/Aids Unit, in collaboration with the Student Counselling Department, Dr Navindhra Naidoo, Acting Head of the Emergency Medical Sciences Department and student interest groups led by Chad Chippe from the Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care programme have joined hands to draft an Institutional Position Statement on gender-based violence.

“Currently, one woman is killed by her intimate partner every eight hours, the highest incidence in the world,” says Melanie Marais, Head of the HIV/Aids Unit. “There is a national drive that universities must ensure it has an updated gender-based violence policy in place. Gender-based violence happens at HEIs including our own institution and we would like to see CPUT be a safe place for all students and staff where human rights are respected by everyone.”

The institution’s Sexual Harassment Policy was recently reviewed and Marais says it will be recommended that it be renamed as the Gender-Based Violence Policy with sub-headings, namely intimate partner violence, sexual harassment and stalking, sexual assault and rape. A number of workshops were held during 2017 and a final draft was presented to various departments on March 20.

The main objectives of the policy will include ensuring the safety of the CPUT community by putting in place and maintaining the necessary safety infrastructure; comprehensive, educative and preventative programs toward raising awareness of human rights. It will also aim to ensure there is a specialised but accessible procedure for reporting cases of gender-based violence and strive to ensure that there is a comprehensive, specialised medical and psychosocial support and other appropriate responses for survivors of gender-based violence.

“The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Prof Anthony Staak, will present the Policy at the Deans Forum. It will also be forwarded to the Registrar’s office and via a link to all students and staff,” says Marais.

The GBV policy is now ready for submission to the Management Committee for review and comments. Staff and students will soon see the first draft being circulated for their input before it is submitted to Council for approval. “The planned launch date will be August 18, the weekend of the 2018 Young Women Leadership Conference taking place on the Bellville Campus once approval is obtained,” says Marais. She appealed to more men to lend their support to the fight against gender-based violence.

Staff and students can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how they can get involved.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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In their quest to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) and start conversations on educating CPUT men to be able to have a gender-equal campus, the Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and  Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor recently hosted a workshop at the Bellville Campus.

The workshop followed the inauguration of the Vice-Chancellor’s Think Tank for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Task Team in March this year.  The Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor saw a need to have ambassadors who will be directly involved in GBV campaigns and interventions across all CPUT campuses to promote a campus free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination,  is diverse, equitable, inclusive and where difference is valued and celebrated.

The Centre’s Diversity and Inclusivity Assistant, Tumiso Mfisa, coordinated the workshop. This included the training for the first cohort, which targeted students and facilitated the orientation of the ambassadors. The CSRC president, Nanga Codana, shared a message of support with the ambassadors, highlighting the significance of men’s immediate response to GBV. The three sessions addressed issues such as how the ambassadors can conceptualise GBV in South Africa and how men can play their role in eradicating GBV on and off campus.

The participants also went in-depth on the practicality of GBV interventions on and off-campus, where the facilitator spoke on community engagement and interventions, which work primarily on awareness-raising on and off-campus, and how important it is to mobilise men in such programmes and educated the ambassadors on how to win over society in partaking in any intervention. 

There were also team-building exercises and discussions on various qualities the ambassadors need to ensure success in implementing the GBV programmes and men’s development interventions. 

Mfisa highlighted the overall picture of what the ambassadors should be like, which included them being transformed to transform others and that “together we can forge gender equality the second cohort will follow and will involve CPUT Staff members”.  “A follow-up session will involve more students and staff in GBV interventions and campaigns. Collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias and end GBV if we work together and not in isolation, ‘gender equality is everyone’s responsibility to enhance oneness and smartness,’” he said.

Ambassador Kwena Etmond Mapumo, a Diploma in Analytical Chemistry student, said:  “It was a very thought-provoking session we had, and I’d like to see more engagements and for us to be the change we wish to see in making a safe space for all.”

Another ambassador, Lance Sibuyi, a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering student, said: “Indeed, it was an awesome session. [I] learned a lot, which upscaled my perspective and knowledge on various issues about gender-based violence.  Thank you, team, for the awesome workshop!”

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Meet our ambassadors by opening the link below: https://ieyegallery.pic-time.com/avm046TH

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Faculty of Business and Management Sciences recently resumed face-to-face orientation sessions for first-year students on the District Six Campus.

“The number of students who attended the face-to-face sessions surpassed numbers expected as well as orientation sessions pre-Covid-19, as most departments had approximately 80% of the registered students attending orientation in 2022,” said Mandie Richards, Business Information and Administration (BIA) senior lecturer. Richards added that seeing the piazza abuzz with animated students laughing and chatting was a “heart-warming moment” as students are the life and energy of the institution.  “The enthusiasm and excitement exuded by students to be on campus added to the atmosphere, as students quickly connected with lecturers and their peers and [had] an exciting start to their academic journey.”

Richards said although most departments concluded the orientation sessions on Friday, 25 February, a few departments further engaged first years in face-to-face sessions during the remainder of the first term.

The departments were introduced by Faculty Dean, Prof Paul Green, utilizing a welcome video (hyperlink https://youtu.be/vXroQY20GhE)

The BIA department, as did most departments, invited various speakers from industry, alumni, and service departments to engage with students.  Students were also welcomed from the outset by the BIA student assistants at the entrance of the campus Administration Building and escorted to the orientation venues. Lively discussions with an external organisation, Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), took place, and issues of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual harassment and students’ rights were discussed. The sessions provided students with contact details of various organisations that will assist and counsel them should students require such help.

“Many questions emanated from the students, and the Faculty will continue these conversations as part of the First Year Experience, as GBV is a mandatory module for first years in the Faculty and integrated into the curriculum,” said Richards.  The Financial Aid Office presented relevant information about NSFAS (write in full), and shared vital information regarding financial issues, that are uppermost on many students’ minds who require financial assistance.  

The Cape  Town Hotel School engaged vendors and suppliers to meet with students at the Granger Bay Campus, and the Campus turned into a mini-expo with tasty treats available for students to purchase and a good introduction to cuisine offered at the Hotel School, which was recently awarded a 4-star rating. 

Students in all departments were given a campus tour to familiarise themselves with the campus. They attended sessions held in the computer laboratories to allow them to log in to their emails, activate their accounts, and gain assistance in navigating Blackboard.  Departments also invited the Disability Unit, Student Counselling Unit, the Library, the HIV/Aids Unit and Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development to engage with students and advise on various support structures at CPUT to assist students.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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The Faculty of Business and Management Sciences in collaboration with the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Division of Student Affairs and Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change recently hosted a Youth Month Commemoration event at Bellville Campus.

The event, themed, “Inspire Hope in the Student of 2024”. drew inspiration from the 1976 youth, who stood up in the hope of creating the tomorrow they envisaged. Manager: Strategic Initiatives and Projects, Andiswa Mrasi, said: “Today, our students are navigating various issues ranging from GBV, youth unemployment, and AI to mention a few. Therefore, this event seeks to encourage the students of 2024 to take up space and turn fear into hope as we work hard to build a better South Africa, Africa, and ultimately, the world we want.”

The event, which was also attended by the Dean of Students, Nonkosi Tyolwana, included a panel discussion, a live performance by a well-known international musician Cairo CPT, poetry, a public lecture on the role of the late great, Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the 1976 student uprising. On behalf of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Charlene Houston said: “The Arch always said to young people: ‘Go on dreaming that we are going to have a different world to the one we live in’”.

She said the quality of education was always an important matter for Archbishop Tutu. Houston said his father was an educator, and he became a teacher. “Both he and Mrs Tutu were teachers until they understood the implications of the newly introduced Bantu Education system. They resigned in protest.” She said young leaders needed to look at what platform they have, what influence they have, and “how you can use that to make a difference”.

Houston added that Tutu always urged the “oldies” to listen to young people and he encouraged youth to use their voices and to take action. “Dream you must, but you also need to take collective action.”

She also reminded the young people that they have “a wonderful heritage, you stand on the shoulders of brave courageous, and righteous people such as the Arch, Mbuyisa Makhubu, and the youth of 1976”. “Hopefully, you participated in the recent national elections. It doesn’t stop there. Learn about the ways to stay involved…. there are many channels to do so formally or informally. As the Arch said, ‘Don’t be infected by the cynicism of oldies who believe this world can become better for all’, The baton is yours to pick up!”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Accelerating Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality was at the centre of a recent Women’s Month commemoration at CPUT, which also celebrated “SmartCPUTWomen”.

The event, one of many Women’s Month celebrations that will be held at CPUT this August, was presented by the Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change, in collaboration with Human Capital and the Advancement Department.

In her welcoming address, Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, said that beyond serving as a commemorative event, “days like today should also serve as an occasion for introspection into the progress made since the march of 1956”.

Hay-Swemmer said while progress in terms of empowerment and gender equality had been made in some realms, there was still a journey ahead to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV), to ensure that women receive fair compensation in the workplace and are recognised and acknowledged in all facets of society.

“Though women in Africa are often the backbone of their families and communities, they still face systemic barriers that hinder economic participation, from unequal pay to limited access to resources.”

She said: “We must strive for a world where every woman can live free from fear and can pursue their dreams without hindrance.

“My prayer for all of us is to stand in solidarity, supporting initiatives that empower women, advocating for policies that promote gender equality, review them, time and time, asking ourselves: are these policies doing what they should be doing?”

Brightness Mangolothi, Director of HERS-SA spoke, on the topic of coaching and mentoring as a tool for empowerment.

Mangolothi said coaching and mentorship inspire inclusion and belonging.

“If we can catch that we will take our institution to greater heights. We need more coaching and mentorship intervention that factors an intersectional lens.”

Vuyokazi Dwane, Senior Director: Human Capital, spoke on the topic of A Culture of Inclusiveness for Neurodivergent Women, while Sixolile Ngcobo, Director: National Strategic Plan - Gender Based Violence and Femicide Localisation Lab, spoke about Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality in Higher Education.

Dean of Students, Nonkosi Tyolwana said GBV is one of the critical issues that impede the progress of women.

Tyolwana presented the findings of the Report of the Ministerial Task Team on Matters of Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Violence and Harm in South African Universities.

Other speakers included Xoli Fuyani, Director: Black Girls Rising, Lynn Hendricks from the Advancement Office and the Bellville Local SRC’s Anelisa Frieste.

The event also presented opportunities for engagement, a session on finance, presented by Sanlam. as well as fun activities.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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