Staffer tests positive after Unisa graduation ceremony, as other universities move theirs online

Unisa has confirmed that a staff member who worked at a recent graduation event tested positive for Covid-19.

Unisa spokesperson Lusani Netshitomboni, said four staff members were currently in isolation, but that he online university planned to go ahead with its in-person graduation ceremonies in line with Covid-19 protocols.

It was monitoring the situation regarding any other possible contacts, and had also deep-cleaned the office where the staff member worked.

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) stopped all in-person graduations following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s update on the pandemic on Thursday night.

“The president announced that no more than 100 people are permitted at indoor events, amongst other measures to curb the spread of Covid-19,” Wits spokesperson Buhle Zuma said.

“Hundreds of graduands and their families were due to attend in-person graduation ceremonies in the Wits Great Hall this week. These are now cancelled in compliance with the updated national regulations,” she said.

The university was exploring the possibility of doing online graduations later this week and details would be announced.

The University of the Western Cape had already scheduled online graduations for 18 December.

The University of Cape Town’s December 2020 graduates would graduate during a virtual graduation celebratory event at 18:00 on Tuesday.

The University of Pretoria also had online graduations and said that traditional graduation ceremonies would resume once Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

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