The South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) must now consider the submissions of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) before deciding on the suspension of its dental technology program, the Ministry of Health reported.
This followed the High Court of Western Cape rejecting CPUT's urgent application, in which the university requested a halt to the council's attempts to obtain Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledy's consent to suspend the program until a review in the Gauteng division was conducted.
The Ministry noted that CPUT must take into account that, according to the court ruling, it cannot 'refuse to participate in the statutory process of the Council while fulfilling its regulatory functions.'
A department representative, Foster Mohale, emphasized that educational institutions offering specializations regulated by a Professional Council must understand that the course must be accredited by this Professional Council before students can study and receive a diploma.
Although SADTC previously announced the suspension of the program earlier this year, it reversed this decision and decided to seek CPUT's opinion before approaching the minister for consent.
Accreditation Dispute Began in 2020
CPUT filed an urgent application after SADTC demanded justification from it as to why the program should not be suspended pending fulfillment of accreditation requirements.
CPUT asked the court to declare the council's decision to notify it of its intention to seek Motsoaledy's consent to suspend the program illegal and unconstitutional while the appeal regarding accreditation criteria, lodged by Durban University of Technology and Tshwane University of Technology, was under review.
However, presiding Judge Zuko Luvwe Mapoma ruled that CPUT cannot refuse to participate in SADTC's statutory process while carrying out its regulatory duties.
This dispute dates back to December 2020, when CPUT received conditional accreditation for the first year of the program with the condition of submitting necessary documentation in the first quarter of 2021.
When the university relocated its laboratory facilities in 2025 from Tigerberg Hospital to its campus, the new building was required to meet accreditation standards, leading to delays in obtaining all necessary certificates from various bodies.
Mohale stated that now, following the court's decision on this matter, SADTC will consider CPUT's submissions and determine whether to proceed with the request to Motsoaledy.
He also noted that the dispute initiated by CPUT concerned the recognition of parliamentary law and the operating principles of all statutory councils.