Lectures at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have been suspended and all residences closed. The decision follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement declaring the coronavirus pandemic a national disaster.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa have risen to 61, Ramaphosa announced on Sunday.
The university says in a statement that students have 72 hours from Monday to vacate the residences. The first term vacation would have started next Saturday but will now commence immediately.
UCT has not yet decided when the second term will commence but is considering ways of continuing lectures.
The university says it will communicate a broader plan regarding online learning by the end of the week.
UCT executive & Leadership Lekgotla, following the recent address by President Cyril Ramaphosa & on the advice of a range of agencies & health specialists, have decided to break immediately for Term 1 vacation & to suspend classes from & including 16 March https://t.co/KHRc9feh6Z pic.twitter.com/lWWxlv21dd
— UCT (@UCT_news) March 15, 2020
Meanwhile, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) as well as University of Witwatersrand (Wits) have cancelled all classes and tests.
Students from both the UJ and Wits are advised to stay at home or at their residences, as all classes have been cancelled until further notice.
Students have also been advised to avoid face-to-face interactions as much as possible. At UJ, all graduation ceremonies including those scheduled for Monday have also been postponed until further notice.
At Wits, the medical student who tested positive for the coronavirus is currently in quarantine.
#Ramaphosa: Government is working with colleges, universities & other public facilities such as Parliament, prisons, police stations & military installations to intensify hygiene control. Visits to all correctional centres are suspended for 30 days with immediate effect
— PresidencyZA (@PresidencyZA) March 15, 2020
Below is a timeline of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa
