The existing policy with regard to power failures is contained in the publication Examinations and related matters. This policy still applies at all times and is indicated below:

Power failures during examinations

Procedure during brief power failures

• The Supervisor must warn students not to leave their seats or the venue.
• Students may not communicate with one another during the power failure.
• The Supervisor must allow for extra time to compensate for time wasted during the power failure.

Procedure during long-drawn power failures

Should a long power failure occur, Supervisors must act according to the procedure for brief power failures until such time as the Head Supervisor decides that the duration of the failure will have a negative effect on candidates’ achievements. Examination scripts must then be handed in and one of the following decisions must be made in consultation with the Head of the Department concerned:

• If the power failure occurs early during a session, examiners may decide to have a new examination paper drafted to be written on another day. Candidates may rewrite the examination during the period of supplementary examinations. This arrangement will probably cause the fewest logistical problems.
• If the power failure occurs during the second half of an examination session, examination scripts can be collected and the marks obtained for the unfinished examination recalculated to correlate with the time that was available before the failure occurred.

In cases where there are no power interruptions, examinations and supplementary examinations will continue normally as scheduled in the examination timetable.

In the event that power interruptions occur during the examination period, the following shall apply:

• Power failures that last for 15 minutes or less will be handled in terms of the Procedure during brief power failures, as indicated above.
• Power failures that last longer than 15 minutes will be handled in terms of the Procedure during long-drawn power failures.
• If a power failure occurs and necessitates the rescheduling of an examination session, the lecturer responsible for the module must immediately inform the relevant Timetable Officer.
• The examination session for that campus will then be rescheduled for another day in the examination period concerned.
• To make provision for modules that cannot be rescheduled for later in the examination period due to clashes or capacity problems, the two or three days preparation days prior to the supplementary examination will be used for rescheduling such modules.
• Supplementary examination sessions that need to be rescheduled will be rescheduled to the first weekday directly following the supplementary examinations period. If that day is fully utilised due to rescheduled sessions, a second day will be added.
• The relevant Timetable Officer will ensure that the examination date, time and venue is available on the online system for students and lecturers (SOS, LOL & ClickUp) on the day after the power outage occurred. Students who do not have access to the online system will be able to enquire at the department concerned.
• Relevant lecturers will draft a new examination paper, as is provided for in the policy, every time that an examination or supplementary examination session has to be rescheduled due to a power outage.
• Students and staff are expected to be present at scheduled examination sessions until such time as candidates are allowed to leave the examination venue during a power failure.
• Students and staff are informed that public announcements on load shedding will not be accepted as an excuse for absence from an examination session.

The University appreciates that the above arrangements will create logistical problems for all parties concerned. However, we are dealing with an unpredictable situation. We ask all to do their best under the proposed conditions. For any questions or suggestions with regard to electricity management on campus, email [email protected].