CPUT dental technology students remain in limbo as universities and the regulator head to court over an ongoing accreditation dispute.
Image: AI Generated
Dental technology students say they are "not doing well at all" as they remain stuck in an escalating legal battle over accreditation, with universities and the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) now headed to court over a dispute that has dragged on for years.
At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), 42 dental technology students, who were at the forefront of protests earlier this year, say they feel abandoned after agreeing to allow graduations to proceed in the hope that progress would follow.
"Not well at all… most of us are just sitting here at res with no communication from the university and no updates too," one student said.
Students say that while they are aware of the legal action launched by universities, it has done little to ease their uncertainty, with some expressing concern about delays in the court process.
"They filed a case, yes, but that case is not even going to be heard soon because of the way they filed it. It’s not an urgent application," the student said.
"Other than that, we are still in the same place as we were before the strike. With no academic activity, poor communication, and no way forward."
The latest developments follow confirmation that CPUT, alongside the Durban University of Technology and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), has launched an application in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in a bid to resolve the ongoing impasse with the SADTC.
In a joint statement, the three institutions said engagements with the regulator over accreditation, assessment, and registration processes have continued since 2019 without resolution, resulting in a halt to new student intakes and placing the programmes at risk.
They warned that the impact extends beyond universities, noting that only five students have graduated from TUT since 2023, effectively representing the country’s output of dental technicians during that period.
The universities are seeking court orders to set aside what they describe as an "unfair and unilaterally imposed" examination framework and to compel the SADTC to register 159 "pipeline students" who completed their qualifications before 2022.
They argued that the legal action is necessary to ensure the sustainability of dental technology training and to prevent long-term damage to South Africa’s oral healthcare system.
But the SADTC has made it clear that it will oppose the application and is not changing its position.
"We have instructed our legal team to oppose and deal with the matter accordingly," the council said.
Asked whether the legal action would change its stance on accreditation, the regulator responded: "No."
The council maintains that its role, as defined by law, is to regulate education and training in the field and to ensure that standards are upheld.
"The role of the statutory council/regulator in the education and training of dental technology, as stated in the Act and the regulations, should be upheld for the benefit of the students and the protection of the public," it said.
CPUT dental technology students marched to Parliament earlier this year to submit a memorandum calling for urgent intervention in the accreditation crisis.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
The dispute centres on accreditation requirements, including compliance with facilities and the structure of final assessments, issues that have stalled progress for students and institutions alike.
At CPUT, students say the situation remains unchanged despite months of protests, meetings, and government involvement.
"We are just sitting and waiting for this crisis to stop unfolding," they said.
Students said their concerns were formally escalated during a protest march earlier this year, where they submitted a memorandum to the government, detailing the impact of the accreditation crisis and calling for urgent intervention.
"We did get feedback not so long ago from Parliament saying the memorandum has reached the office of the minister, but that was it."
The ongoing standoff follows earlier intervention attempts by the Department of Higher Education and Training, which had indicated that it would engage with the Department of Health on the matter.
However, repeated attempts to obtain an update from the department on the outcome of that meeting have been unsuccessful.
lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za