Nzimande: 114 Wuhan repatriates complete 14-day quarantine

According to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande, the 14-day quarantine period for 114 South African citizens, who were repatriated from Wuhan in China, reached its end on Friday 27 March.

They can now begin the process to return home to their families. 

Wuhan students to be sent home 

Nzimande says modalities for their return home are being discussed. 

“The Department is responsible for transporting the students to their respective provinces and to ensure that they are reunited with their families. Buses and minivans have been secured to transport the citizens from the Ranch in Limpopo, to the rest of the country.” 

Transport of the citizens will commence on Monday 30 March. 

Nzimande said students who have been in quarantine at the Birchwood Hotel will also be reunited with their families. 

Nzimande says online learning will be made available   

Speaking at the coronavirus National Command Council briefing, Nzimande said they are trying to provide online learning during the coronavirus lockdown. 

“I am in discussions with Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni Abrahams, on how to deal with access to data for expansion of online learning,” he said. 

The department has also availed e-Learning Guides for all TVET colleges in the country. The guides can be downloaded.

“We call on students to make use of this period to study. It will help them to catch up quickly once the lockdown is over,” he said. 

NSFAS-registered students to receive allowances

The Department says that it has put regulations in place to ensure that students that remain on campus amid the COVID-19 outbreak. It says it has put measures in place to ensure that the students comply with those regulations.

Nzimande also said NSFAS funded and registered students will receive their allowances during the lockdown. 

“NSFAS made provisional funding available to 448 038 university students for the 2020 academic year, of which 350 289 registration records from institutions have been received,” he added. 

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said that measures are in place to intensify teaching because this year cannot go down the drain. 

She added that pupils eventually have to return to school, the department is just not sure of the exact date at this stage. 

Motshekga said it is especially important for matric pupils to gear up for their exams.