Cape Town – Cape universities have recorded their first Covid-19 related death after UWC IT specialist Mogamat Amien Salie died at the weekend.
UWC spokesperson Gasant Abarder said that Salie, who was known fondly by many as “Linux Guru”, died on Saturday and at the time was working from home.
Salie was buried in line with Muslim rites.
This came a few days after the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) announced its first Covid-19 case after a District Six campus staff member tested positive while on special leave.
Six of the eight confirmed Covid-19 cases at UCT have recovered.
“Mr Salie was working from home when he contracted the virus and was under lockdown at the time of his death and not on campus,” Abarder said.
“Only essential workers are currently allowed on campus. It is important to note that there has been one confirmed case of Covid-19 at the UWC campus.
"The academic has since recovered and all those in contact with the academic have been traced and tests confirmed negative,” he said.
UWC executive finance and services director Manie Regal said Salie was not only a colleague but a dear friend and mentor to many within his team.
“He was a dedicated member of the Student Laboratory Support team, often referred to as the Linux Guru. Sometimes even computer science professors would seek help from him.
He has been with UWC since 1997 and his colleagues remember him as
someone who would stand up for
those who were not always able to
fight for themselves.”
Regal said despite challenging
circumstances at times, Salie would
go the extra mile and assist those
who were less fortunate, while
sometimes putting himself in a
difficult position.
“He was known for being soft-spoken and caring in his approach.
He will be sorely missed and we
would like to express our sincerest
condolences to his family and
friends,” said Regal.
Meanwhile, UCT’s Nombuso
Shabalala said the institution had
established a four-phased approach to
students’ return to campus.
This would consider current state
regulations governing health and
safety risk management, and equity
and fairness.
The approach comes after
Higher Education, Science and
Technology Minister Blade Nzimande
announced that only final-year
medical students would be allowed
to return to campus to access
clinical platforms and complete their
academic year.
“The first group will be finalyear medical students, then those
students who the university believes
are vulnerable, based on their
ability to learn remotely under
current conditions, among other
considerations.
“The third group of students who
will return to campus are those that
may not be able to complete their
academic year without being on
campus, with access to laboratories
and studios.
“Then the return of all other
students to campus, but we will be
guided by the national directives in
this regard,” Shabalala said.
The Western Cape has recorded
10 558 Covid-19 cases and 4 363
recoveries.
The province has recorded an
additional 18 Covid-19 deaths,
bringing the total number to 183.