2019 Annual Report

The 2019 academic calendar commenced on a tumultuous note for higher education institutions, with student unrest and resultant destabilisation of a violent nature which tested the resolve of many University councils and their executive leadership in the country.

At the DUT, the unrest resulted in the tragic death of one of our students, when he was shot in a violent encounter between a group of students and private security personnel. Many questions over the incident remain unanswered because the law
enforcement agencies, at the time of the incident, declined to prosecute the individuals involved. The University did not receive an official report on the incident.

Despite the unfortunate start to the year, there were many significant developments at the University in 2019. One of these developments was the rollout of the much-needed infrastructure projects at the University at a cost of over R1 billion. The
completion of these projects will not only enhance the appearance of the entire University but will also provide essential and improved facilities for students and staff. The details of these developments will be presented in the “Report on Management and Administration” by the Vice-Chancellor, in the next section of this report.