Page 147 - UniZulu Annual Report 2020

CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
The Report of the Chairperson of Council as well as the Performance Assessment Report highlight the University’s progress towards an infrastructure development drive. UNIZULU is receiving high-level support from DHET to provide professional advice in support of infrastructure maintenance and development. The DHET team are experienced in delivering University infrastructure and are working with UNIZULU’s key personnel to ensure that UNIZULU is well-positioned to commence with effective infrastructure delivery and that the applicable governance structures, procurement policies and strategies, (procurement and contracting) for effective and efficient implementation of all key projects are in place. With the assistance of DHET, the University was able to develop a new University Spatial Development Framework, build internal capacity, revise and review its procurement processes, and engage in a community consultation workshop as part of its Infrastructure Development Plan. With an appointed Infrastructure Project Management Team in place and governance structures to oversee infrastructure development, the year 2020 should have resulted in significant construction taking place, especially in respect of student residences, however, progress has been severely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Physical Planning and Operations (PPO) Department as a whole was diverted to supporting the implementation of essential service measures under COVID-19, requiring uninterrupted attention to issues such as water, energy and sanitation, to mention but a few. It was considered key to curbing the insurgence and spread of COVID-19 as well as other opportunistic infections associated with poor sanitation and hygiene.
A UNIZULU COVID-19 Task Team was set up to ensure that the University’s workplace plan was in place and that all guidelines, regulations as gazetted were adhered to and implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on
campus. The University’s approach to health and safety was made up of a series of internal measures to mitigate and reduce the prevalence of the virus on both campuses. In line with this approach, all buildings and student residences were thoroughly cleaned and sanitised on a regular basis. Sanitisers were available for all buildings, including lecture halls, the Library and laboratories. All above measures were undertaken following the Higher Health guidelines and Regulations cited in the Disaster Management Act.
Under Quarter 2, PPO initiated an exercise to consider space modifications to de-densify existing student accommodation and lecture halls and the reconfiguration of common areas is being reviewed in line with COVID-19 spatial planning principles.The University continues to assess all available spaces to ascertain requirements for student
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UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND ANNUAL REPORT 2020